Windows IoT Edge: Overview and Getting Started

Welcome to the Windows IoT Edge community topic page. This section provides a comprehensive resource for developers, IT professionals, and enthusiasts interested in leveraging Windows IoT Edge for intelligent device solutions.

What is Windows IoT Edge?

Windows IoT Edge is a managed service that deploys and manages cloud analytics and custom business logic as well as Azure services like Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Functions, and Azure Machine Learning to your IoT edge devices. This allows for faster processing, reduced latency, and increased privacy by processing data closer to its source.

Key benefits include:

• Edge Intelligence: Run AI, ML, and analytics directly on your devices.
• Hybrid Cloud Integration: Seamlessly connect edge devices to Azure cloud services.
• Device Management: Deploy, monitor, and manage your IoT edge fleet at scale.
• Security: Robust security features from the device to the cloud.
• Familiar Development: Utilize existing Windows development skills and tools.

Core Concepts

Understanding the fundamental components is crucial for successful Windows IoT Edge deployment:

• IoT Edge Devices: These are your physical devices running the IoT Edge runtime.
• IoT Edge Modules: These are containerized processes that run your business logic. Examples include custom application modules, Azure service modules (like Azure Stream Analytics), and runtime modules (like the IoT Hub module).
• IoT Edge Runtime: The core components that manage modules on edge devices and communicate with Azure IoT Hub.
• Azure IoT Hub: The cloud gateway for managing device identity, twin, and bidirectional communication.

Getting Started with Windows IoT Edge

Embark on your Windows IoT Edge journey with these essential steps:

1. Set up Azure IoT Hub: Provision an IoT Hub instance in Azure to manage your devices.
2. Prepare Your Device: Ensure your Windows device meets the minimum requirements and install the IoT Edge runtime.
3. Create and Deploy Modules: Develop custom modules using containers (Docker) and deploy them to your IoT Edge device via IoT Hub.
4. Monitor and Manage: Utilize Azure portal or CLI tools to monitor device health and module performance.

Code Sample: Custom Module

Here's a basic example of a Python module that sends a simulated temperature reading to IoT Hub:

import random
import time
import os
import json
from azure.iot.device import IoTHubModuleClient, IoTHubMessage

conn_str = os.getenv('EdgeHubConnectionString')
if not conn_str:
    print("EdgeHubConnectionString not set. Exiting.")
    exit(0)

def main():
    module_client = IoTHubModuleClient.create_from_edge_environment(conn_str)
    module_client.connect()

    temperature = 20.0
    humidity = 60.0

    while True:
        temperature = temperature + (random.random() * 2 - 1)
        humidity = humidity + (random.random() * 2 - 1)

        msg = {
            "temperature": round(temperature, 2),
            "humidity": round(humidity, 2)
        }
        message = IoTHubMessage(json.dumps(msg))
        message.custom_properties["appid"] = "my-temperature-app"

        print(f"Sending message: {msg}")
        module_client.send_message(message)

        time.sleep(10)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()