Remote support

Commercial IoT vendors can support devices on customer networks, at remote sites, and in mobile deployments from one workspace.

Build a remote support workflow

When a customer reports an issue, support needs to:

1. Find the right device among hundreds
2. Confirm it is online and reachable
3. Access it to diagnose and fix the problem
4. Resolve the issue remotely when a site visit is unnecessary

Dataplicity approach

1. Fleet context - find the device by customer tag, site, or serial number
2. Online status - see immediately whether the device is reachable
3. Remote shell - open a browser terminal without VPN
4. Logs - review recent output before or instead of shell access
5. Audit trail - record who accessed the device and when

When customer IT is involved

The device connects outbound on HTTPS, so most deployments work with the customer's existing network configuration.

For highly restricted networks, provide the firewall URL list during deployment planning.

Foundations for scalable support

• Use outbound device connections instead of per-customer VPN setup
• Give each support team member an individual account
• Tag devices with customer and site context
• Use remote logs and access before scheduling a site visit

Related

• Support team access
• Remote access