Overview

This documentation is for developers connecting their Devices to the Xyte cloud. Read the Quickstart section first to learn how Devices communicate with the cloud, then use the API Endpoints section as a reference for individual APIs.

Communication model

Devices always initiate communication with the server; the server never reaches out to a Device (network and security constraints make inbound connections to Devices unreliable).

A Device periodically sends Telemetry — data describing its current state — and the server's response carries flags for any pending Commands, Licenses, or other work the Device needs to handle. The Device then issues follow-up calls such as Get Command API to retrieve and process those items.

General flow

The integration begins with the Device calling the Register Device API against the Provisioning Servers to receive the credentials required for Device Authentication on all subsequent calls.

After registration, the Device enters a loop: it continuously sends Telemetry to the server and processes any pending Commands or other work flagged in the response.

See the detailed Flow diagram.

Basic integration

A minimal integration uses only Registration and Telemetry Messages. This alone gives End Customers live visibility into the Device and lets them monitor it from the Customer Portal.

We recommend adding a few basic Commands — such as Reboot and Firmware Update — early on, to make remote support and upgrades easier later.

Claiming vs. registration

Device Claiming is the process by which an End Customer proves ownership of a previously registered Device. Claiming adds the Device to the End Customer's Customer Portal and grants them the right to monitor and manage it.

The two concepts are distinct:

Registration — the Device registers itself with the server.
Claiming — the End Customer supplies identifying details (e.g. MAC address and serial number) to prove ownership.

A Device must be registered before it can be claimed.

Advanced features

Once the basic integration is in place, Advanced features offer many additional capabilities to improve the End Customer experience.

Next steps

Read the full Quickstart guides to understand the integration concepts, then move on to the Register Device, Send Telemetry, Get Command, and Update Command APIs.

The full API set is available via the Full Postman API Export or in the integrated Dev Center.