ZEBRA Cloud Connect User Manual

Cloud Connect for RFID

Deployment Guide

MN-004035-01EN Rev. A

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Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of those agreements.

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Proprietary Statement

This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Zebra Technologies”). It is intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaining the equipment described herein. Such proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed to any other parties for any other purpose without the express, written permission of Zebra Technologies.

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Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Zebra Technologies. All specifications and designs are subject to change without notice.

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Limitation of Liability

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Publication Date

September 22, 2020

List of Figures..................................................................................................................................... 5

About This Document ........................................................................................................................ 6

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6

Supported Readers.......................................................................................................... 6

Chapter Descriptions........................................................................................................ 6

Notational Conventions .................................................................................................... 6

Icon Conventions ............................................................................................................. 7

Related Documents and Software ................................................................................... 7

Service Information .......................................................................................................... 7

Overview.............................................................................................................................................. 9

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 9

System Overview ............................................................................................................. 9

Cloud Service ......................................................................................................... 10

Cloud Agent............................................................................................................ 10

Reader Manager..................................................................................................... 10

Radio Control.......................................................................................................... 10

Deployment Modes........................................................................................................................... 11

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 11

Pure Cloud Deployment................................................................................................. 11

Hybrid Deployment......................................................................................................... 12

Local Deployment .......................................................................................................... 12

Operation Modes .............................................................................................................................. 14

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 14

Simple ............................................................................................................................ 14

Inventory ........................................................................................................................ 14

Contents

Portal.............................................................................................................................. 15

Conveyer........................................................................................................................ 15

Setting Up Cloud Connect for RFID ................................................................................................ 16

Introduction .................................................................................................................... 16

Enrolling the Reader ...................................................................................................... 16

Disenrolling the Reader.................................................................................................. 17

Configuring Deployment Modes..................................................................................... 18

Exporting/Importing Cloud Configuration ....................................................................... 18

Login....................................................................................................................... 18

Exporting the Cloud Configuration.......................................................................... 19

Importing Cloud Configuration................................................................................ 20

Cloud Connect for RFID Configuration .......................................................................... 21

Control Section ....................................................................................................... 21

Local Access via REST.................................................................................... 22

Zebra Data Services ........................................................................................ 22

Data Section ........................................................................................................... 23

Zebra Data Services ........................................................................................ 24

Local HTTP/HTTPS Post Server...................................................................... 25

Management Section.............................................................................................. 26

Local REST ...................................................................................................... 27

Zebra Data Services ........................................................................................ 28

Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 29

Default Cloud Connect for RFID Configuration .............................................................. 29

Sample Configuration for Local Deployment.................................................................. 32

List of Figures

Figure 1: Cloud Connect for RFID System Overview .................................................... 10

Figure 2: Pure Cloud Deployment ................................................................................. 11

Figure 3: Hybrid Deployment With On Premise Data Interface ..................................... 12

Figure 4: Local Deployment With On Premise Data, Control

and Management Interfaces ........................................................................... 13

Figure 5: Reader Pre-enrolled in Cloud Agent Service ................................................. 17

Figure 6: Reader Enrolled in Cloud Agent Service ....................................................... 17

Figure 7: JSON Schema for Control Interface Configuration ........................................ 21

Figure 8: JSON Schema for Data Interface Configuration ............................................ 23

Figure 9: JSON Schema for Management Interface Configuration ............................... 27

About This Document

Introduction

This guide provides information about the Cloud Connect for RFID feature in the FX Series readers. It explains the system’s overall architecture, deployment modes, and configuration of different deployment modes.

IMPORTANT: If you have a problem with your equipment, contact Zebra Global Customer Support for your region. Contact information is available at: zebra.com/support

Supported Readers

• FX7500

• FX9600

Chapter Descriptions

Topics covered in this guide are as follows:

• Overview provides a summary on Cloud Connect

and RFID tag data collection for the FX Series RFID readers.

• Deployment Modes provides information on the three different modes of deployment.

• Operation Modes provides information on configuring the radio to different modes of operation.

• Setting Up Cloud Connect for RFID provides information on setting up Cloud Connect for RFID.

• Appendix provides the default Cloud Connect for RFID configuration.

Notational Conventions

The following conventions are used in this document:

•Bold text is used to highlight the following:

• Dialog box, window and screen names

• Drop-down list and list box names

• Check box and radio button names

• Icons on a screen

™ for RFID, the cloud-based management, control,

• Key names on a keypad

• Button names on a screen.

• Bullets (•) indicate:

• Action items

• Lists of alternatives

• Lists of required steps that are not necessarily sequential.

• Sequential lists (such as those that describe step-by-step procedures) appear as numbered lists.

Icon Conventions

The documentation set is designed to give the reader more visual clues. The following graphic icons are used throughout the documentation set. These icons and their associated meanings are described below.

NOTE: The text here indicates information that is supplemental for the user to know and that is not required to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: The text here indicates information that is important for the user to know.

About This Document

CAUTION: If the precaution is not heeded, the user could receive minor or moderate injury.

WARNING: If danger is not avoided, the user CAN be seriously injured or killed.

Service Information

If you have a problem with your equipment, contact Zebra Global Customer Support for your region. Contact information is available at: zebra.com/support

When contacting support, please have the following information available:

• Serial number of the unit

• Model number or product name

About This Document

• Software/firmware type or version number

Zebra responds to calls by email, telephone or fax within the time limits set forth in support agreements.

If your problem cannot be solved by Zebra Customer Support, you may need to return your equipment for servicing and will be given specific directions. Zebra is not responsible for any damages incurred during shipment if the approved shipping container is not used. Shipping the units improperly can possibly void the warranty.

If you purchased your Zebra business product from a Zebra business partner, contact that business partner for support.

Overview

Introduction

Cloud Connect for RFID provides cloud-based management, control, and RFID tag data collection for the FX Series RFID readers (FX7500, FX9600). The Cloud Connect for RFID feature enables connectivity to the cloud platform to provide loT capabilities to the reader. Once connected to the cloud, the readers can be managed and controlled using a REST API interface via the cloud. The reader tag data is also pushed to the cloud to be consumed by the cloud service.

The Cloud Connect for RFID feature provides the three interfaces as listed below.

• Management interface: Used to perform management actions on the reader (for example, firmware upgrade, getting reader configuration, and setting reader configuration).

• Control interface: Used to perform control actions on the reader (for example, configuring the radio mode, starting/stopping the tag reads).

• Data interface: Used to consume the RFID tag data from the reader.

These interfaces can be configured independently to allow for access via cloud or locally within the private network. Depending on how the Cloud Connect for RFID interfaces are configured, there are three possible deployment modes as described in the chapter Deployment Modes.

System Overview

As illustrated in Figure 1, the Cloud Connect for RFID system has the following components.

• Cloud Service

• Cloud Agent

• Radio Control

Overview

Figure 1 Cloud Connect for RFID System Overview

NOTE: The solid lines represent the Management interfaces, the dotted black lines represent the Control

interface and the dotted red lines represent the Data interface.

Cloud Service

The Cloud Connect for RFID feature enables the Cloud connectivity to a Cloud service and currently the only cloud service that is supported is Zebra Data Services (Savanna Cloud). Zebra Data Services is Zebra's proprietary cloud platform that empowers the user to build secure, scalable digital services with ease and speed. This solution aggregates and analyzes data from multiple edge devices and services, creating data-powered environments to provide real-time guidance and insights. For more information on Zebra Data Services go to: https://developer.zebra.com/community/tools/eaidata

The Cloud Service exposes a REST API interface that can be used to manage, configure, and read tag data from RFID readers.

Cloud Agent

The Cloud Agent is the reader-resident component responsible for connecting to the cloud service and performing the actions that are requested by the REST APIs. The Cloud Agent also collects the tag data from the radio control and pushes them out on the Data interface.

Reader Manager

Reader Manager is the process in the reader that is responsible for performing all reader configuration and management operations. The Radio Control talks to the reader manager via a socket interface using the RM XML commands.

Radio Control

Radio Control configures, controls, and maintains a connection to the RFID radio. Radio control receives the tag read events from the radio and sends them to the Cloud Agent which in turn passes it onto the Data interface.

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