FAQs

What devices do I need to connect sensors with the cloud?
You need a CloudRail.Box, a suitable IO-module, a power supply and of course the sensor. Currently CloudRail mainly supports IO-Link sensors, which means that the IO-module will be a so called IO-Link Master. If you need a complete set to test the system, give our starter kits a try.

What are the costs of CloudRail?
It is a combination of a subscription model based on the number of connected devices / used features and the costs for the CloudRail.Box (hardware). You can find the current pricing here.

What happens with the data once it is in the Cloud? Do you build custom applications?
CloudRail just delivers data in the right format into the Cloud (IoT Hub/Core). Usually our customers build the applications on top on their own. If you are looking for a complete solution, our IT Consulting Partners can help.

Why a subscription model?
We see CloudRail as a managed solution. This means that we want to provide you with a secure and reliable sensor to cloud system — today and in future. Devices which are connected to the internet need to be continuously maintained (e.g. security patches). Moreover the Cloud industry moves very fast which requires further updates. This all can’t be achieved without a subscription. On top the subscription covers new features which we will release in future.

I’d like to buy a complete Demo Set including all devices for a quick test.
Sure, check out our starter kit.

Can I connect multiple IO-Link Masters to a single CloudRail.Box?
Yes, just put a standard ethernet switch in between. You can even mix Masters by different vendors.

How many Sensor and IO-Modules can I connect to the Cloud?
This highly depends on your configuration, more specifically on the frequency of data being sent to the cloud. There is a huge difference between a sensor value being sent every 200ms and one every 10mins. It’s safe to say that you can at least connect up to 8 IO-Modules and 64 Sensors to a single CloudRail.Box. Dependent on your configuration this number might be even higher.

Can I get data from a PLC?
If the PLC supports OPC-UA, yes. If this is not the case we highly recommend working with new sensors dedicated for the IIoT project. Here are the reasons.

What’s different to the Edge Gateway by XYZ?
Most edge gateways on the market are very generic and thus complex to use. Our goal was that everyone with IT knowledge should be able to connect sensors with the cloud. So we made it super simple and took out required domain-specific knowledge about the OT. Moreover CloudRail is a managed solution. This means you can easily create a PoC, but also use it for large scale installations with millions of devices.

Does the Box support wifi or cellular?
We support Wifi, 4G LTE and 5G native with the new CloudRail.Box Max. Regarding the first gen CloudRail.Box, most customers with this requirement use a third party wifi or cellular router which connects to the CloudRail.Box via Ethernet. We have good experience with devices by Teltonika like the RUT240.

What sensors are compatible?
All sensor with the following interface: IO-Link, Digital (1/0) or Analog (4-20mA) (with Analog to IO-Link Adaptor). Moreover CloudRail supports Modbus RTU which is for example used by many power meters.

What IO-Module are compatible?
You can find a list here.

How often is the sensor data being sent to the cloud?
You can configure that between every 50ms and several years. It is also possible to define a threshold as a percentage. So for example if the temperature changes by more than 20%, send it to the cloud. This is especially useful for switching sensors which are either 0 or 1.

How does the setup of the Box work?
The CloudRail.Box comes with a code located on the right side of it. Just enter it in the Device Management Cloud or scan the QR-code. That’s it.

Can I manually change IP addresses?
Yes. Please add the Box to your Device Management Cloud first (even thought it can’t communicate with it yet) and check the tab “Advanced Network Settings” for further instructions.

How are software updates delivered to the Box?
Via a remote firmware update. You will be notified about new version in the Device Management Cloud and install the update with just a single click. Moreover, it is possible to automatically install it at a predefined time.

What happens if the Box loses connection to the internet?
The CloudRail.Box stage up to 65535 messages to send it once the internet is back. Moreover, it is possible to use device shadows to store and sync states if supported by the respective cloud platform.

How can I move a box to a different account?
Yes, just delete it in one account and add to to another afterwards.

Is it suitable for industrial environments?
Yes. The CloudRail.Box has been specifically designed for industrial environments by the experts from Kunbus. The box is IP20, so you should put it in a cabinet. The IO-Modules on the other hand are IP67 and can be mounted pretty much everywhere.

Does it support a local MQTT broker?
Yes, just select “MQTT Broker” instead of a cloud platform.

Does it support cloud XYZ?
Currently, we support AWS, Azure, IBM, Google, SAP, Aveva and Alibaba out of the box. Contact support@cloudrail.com if we missed your preferred provider. Alternatively you can use the generic MQTT function to connect any non supported cloud which support this protocol.

What protocol does it use and on which port?
It uses MQTTs to communicate with the Device Management Cloud and as well most cloud platforms. If a platform does not support MQTTs, it uses https as a fallback. Of course all connections are encrypted using SSL. It uses the ports 443 or 8883.

Is CloudRail secure / reliable?
Yes. CloudRail is being trusted by many enterprise customers around the world, even within the defense industry. Moreover, the company has a strong software background, so security is part of our DNA. In more detail: All connections are end-to-end encrypted using SSL/TLS, the CloudRail.Box entirely separates between the port connected to the internet and the one connected to the IO-Link Master / OT network, firmware updates and security patches are rolled out centrally to all Boxes (OTA updates), it runs a sophisticated firewall and uses a TPM.

Does the data passes a CloudRail server?
No. The Device Management Cloud is just used to configure the CloudRail.Box devices. The actual data flows directly between the Box and the respective cloud platform.

Can I use multiple cloud providers in parallel?
Yes. You can connect your devices with different cloud platforms. Even the same sensor with multiple clouds is possible.

How do you add devices on the respective cloud platform?
We connect into you e.g. AWS account via the AWS API. So it is necessary to provide your API credentials to the Device Management Cloud. If you don’t like the automated way, you can still add devices manually and just pass the device credentials.

Can I manually add devices which already exist on my cloud platform?
Yes. In this case you need to provide the device credentials or certificates. This is done via the device management cloud as well.

Does CloudRail work in an existing installation?
Our main goal is to connect additional sensors, just used for IIoT purposes, to the cloud. Thus IO-Link masters with just a fieldbus port, can only be used to communicate with the CloudRail.Box. Masters with a separate port for IoT applications (e.g. DataLine edition by IFM), can communicate with a PLC and the CloudRail.Box in parallel. Moreover you can connect to any OPC-UA server as a data source.

How does it work with IODD files (IO-Link)?
Don’t worry about them, it’s all Plug&Play. The CloudRail.Box automatically gets all necessary information to work with your sensors from a cloud based database.

How is the CloudRail.Box being configured / managed?
Only through the Device Management Cloud. You don’t need to configure anything locally.

Can I remote manage the CloudRail.Box
Yes, this is actually the standard way of doing it. It’s all done through the Device Management Cloud.

Do you offer an on-premise version of the Device Management Cloud
Yes. Contact us at sales@cloudrail.com for more information.

Is is possible to get a Brandlabel / Whitelabel version of the CloudRail.Box
Yes. Contact us at sales@cloudrail.com for more information.

Our sensor / IO-module does not work with CloudRail
Please contact us at support@cloudrail.com.

Any other question?
Feel free to contact us at support@cloudrail.com