Edge Computing, Data Collection, and HMI Software for the Network’s Edge

What are the use cases for Ignition Edge?

Ignition Edge has two primary use cases: local I/O with store-and-forward to a central system, and local HMI or fallback client for visibility and control of data.
- Local I/O with Store-and-Forward: Easily deploy Ignition Edge IIoT or Sync Services to provide local I/O with store-and-forward to a central Ignition system.
- Local HMI or Fallback Client: Easily deploy Ignition Edge Panel to provide on-site local visibility and control of your data.

When do I use Ignition Edge versus a standard Ignition server?

Ignition Edge is perfect for distributing out I/O, providing local visibility of data, efficiently collecting data from remote sites over slow connections, and for robust fiber networks to offer more scalability, access to data, and distribution of I/O. It is limited and designed to work in tandem with a central Ignition system. Ignition Edge is not suitable to run an entire facility or site as a SCADA system, nor is it designed to act as an unlimited I/O server for all of your PLCs. If you need local functionality and have a use case that requires features beyond Ignition Edge, a standard Ignition server is recommended.

Can I mix and match Ignition Edge products?

Yes. With multiple Ignition Edge products to choose from, you can use any one of them or mix and match them to create a more robust solution on a single device.

Is Ignition Edge meant to be used as a standalone solution?

No. Ignition Edge is designed to work seamlessly with a central Ignition server for optimal performance, and to synchronize data to a centralized system and provide critical functionality.

How does Ignition Edge communicate to a central Ignition server?

Ignition Edge can communicate with a central Ignition server in two ways: through the Gateway Network and MQTT. You can configure both connection methods at the same time.

For more information about how to configure the Gateway Network and the MQTT protocol, please visit the user manual: https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/

Is Ignition Edge a good option for data collection in my industry?

It depends on your needs. For many industries such as manufacturing, oil & gas, automotive, and food & beverage, Edge can be a great option for local data collection. In industries with large numbers of simple devices, Ignition Edge typically isn’t a good fit. Examples of these are applications like inverter connections in the solar industry, certain municipality connections, power distribution, building automation, or other industries where connections to hundreds of simple devices are standard. For these industries, a full version of Ignition is a better alternative to Edge.

Does Ignition Edge support OPC UA?

Yes. Ignition Edge supports OPC UA as a server and client. Ignition Edge can communicate to any external OPC UA (or OPC COM) server to bring in data. Ignition Edge can also expose data through OPC UA locally. However, Ignition Edge is not designed to be a full-blown OPC UA server.

Does Ignition Edge support scripting?

Yes, but only with specific Edge products. Ignition Edge Compute is the product that provides scripting in general and can be added to any solution. Ignition Edge Panel by itself does support on-screen scripting, but Edge Compute is often paired with Panel as well as for more advanced Edge Gateway scripting for things like an automatic reaction to tag changes or periodic tasks. Specifically, Edge Compute enables Gateway scripting, including tag change scripts, timer, startup and shutdown scripts, Gateway Network message handling, etc.

Where can I deploy Ignition Edge to?

Here are some of the many devices, services, and systems on which you can deploy Ignition Edge:
- Devices: Embedded PCs, laptops, desktops, high-grade servers, fog computing
- Managed Services: AWS EC2, AWS ECS, AWS Outposts, Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Containers, Google Compute Engine
- Virtual Machines & Containers: VMware, Parallels, VirtualBox, Hyper-V, Docker

Does Ignition Edge support ARM?

Yes. With support for ARM processors (32-bit HF and 64-bit), Ignition Edge can run on devices like Raspberry Pi or the latest generation of edge devices.

Can Ignition Edge work with SQL databases?

No, Ignition Edge cannot communicate to external SQL databases. It is designed to synchronize data to a central Ignition server that is communicating with a SQL database. Ignition Edge has everything built-in to store and forward data to a central Ignition server with ease.

Can I deploy Ignition through Docker or orchestration platforms?

Yes. Inductive Automation has an official Docker hub image that allows you to quickly deploy Ignition or Ignition Edge on any device. You can also use orchestration platforms such as Zededa, Balena, Azure Stack Edge, edgeIQ, and more.

For more information on Ignition’s official Docker hub image: https://hub.docker.com/r/inductiveautomation/ignition

Is it possible to upgrade Ignition Edge to a standard Ignition server?

Yes, it is possible. Ignition and Ignition Edge share the same basic technology.

To learn more about how you can upgrade, please contact our sales representatives at 1-800-266-7798.

Where can I purchase Ignition Edge?

You can purchase Edge directly through Inductive Automation or from an Ignition Onboard partner. When purchasing from Inductive Automation, you will be responsible for installing Ignition. When purchasing from an Onboard partner, Ignition Edge will come preinstalled on your device for faster development.

For more details on the Ignition Onboard program, go to: https://inductiveautomation.com/onboard/about