Keep one ops layer across ancient and brand-new images

Amber Field Systems inherits decade-old farm gateways and ships Ubuntu 24.04 sampling nodes in the same programme. Solstice building controllers tell a similar story. An ops agent that only chases “current Python” breaks half the estate - or forces two control planes.

Without Dataplicity

Legacy units are abandoned or hand-SSH’d. Modern rollouts wait on a rewrite. Nobody shares one inventory - and Amber cannot tell which regions still check in on the old image.

With Dataplicity

1. Use the dual install path (curl | sudo python) that works when the system python is 2 or 3.
2. Install the same current agent on both cohorts. It runs on Python 2.7-era hosts and on modern Python - including Ubuntu 24.04 / Python 3.12 - so you do not need a second control plane for old images.
3. Confirm check-in for both cohorts under one organisation inventory - including Amber’s sparse field windows when devices finally wake.
4. Treat compatibility as the supported Python matrix, not a promise of every minor version forever (for example 3.8 and 3.13 are not in the certified matrix).

Outcome

One ops layer across mixed-age field reality - without abandoning the farm cabinets that still earn their keep.

Next

• Connect your first device
• Supported operating systems
• Agent lifecycle

Related: Illustrative customers, Field advantages, Keep your runtime