Step 1: Create an Activation Configuration in Manufacturing Connect
Several parameters can be changed for the activation of Manufacturing Connect Edge devices in the corresponding Manufacturing Connect installation. It is important to review these options and to carefully implement the correct configurations.
An example of a basic activation configuration can be found in Example: Create a Basic Activation Configuration. Note that this example demonstrates the implementation in a fairly basic configuration which might not meet your specific needs.
An activation configuration can be configured with limits, templates and/or template variables. These configurations are all entirely optional. Some of these configurations have existing default values while others can be left blank. These configurations are all implemented in the first four sub-steps and can be skipped if no additional customization is needed.
Generating the details for an activation configuration occurs only in Step 1f: Save while retrieving the key details are in Step 1g: Retrieve Activation Code/URL.
- If you are using a node-locked license, make sure you have a license key for deployment. To get a license key, contact your account executive.
- If you are using a site-based license, make sure you’ve already applied the license in Manufacturing Connect. See License Server.
Follow these initial steps to access the Activation Configuration options.
- Log in to Manufacturing Connect.
- From the navigation panel, navigate to Edge Management > Activation Configs. The Activation Configuration pane appears.
- Click the Add (+) icon. The Activation Config List/ NEW pane appears.
You have the option of configuring limits, specifically number of edge devices, lease TTL, and expiration date. If no changes are needed, proceed to the next step.
- Number of Edge devices: Enter the number of devices that will share the activation code. The activation code (created after saving) can be used for multiple edge device activations.
- Lease TTL: Enter the number of days the identity certificate for the activation will be valid from the day you activate the edge device.
- Expiration Date: Select the expiration date when the activation code can no longer be used.
You have the option of applying templates when activating a Manufacturing Connect Edge device. Learn more about Templates.
If the Manufacturing Connect Edge device doesn't need a template, proceed to the next step.
To add at least one template:
- From the Template section, click the Add icon. The Template Select dialog box appears.
- Select one or more templates from the list, and then click Select. The selected template appears in the Templates list.
You have the option of applying template variables when activating a Manufacturing Connect Edge device. To use template variables, you'll need to Parameterize a Template first.
If the Manufacturing Connect Edge device doesn't need any template variables, proceed to the next step.
To add at least one template variable manually:
- From the Template Variables section, click the Add icon. The Add new variable set dialog box appears.
- From the Add new variable set dialog box, click the Variable set type toggle so it displays All Devices.
Click Add. The Variable set: All devices appears in the Template Variables list.
Variable list- Click the Add icon next to the variable set. The Variables line items drop down.
- In the Variable Name field, enter a variable name.
- in the Variable Value field, enter a variable value.
- From the Add new variable set dialog box, click the Variable set type toggle so it displays Per Edge Device.
- In the Host Name field, enter the host name for an edge device. To find host name for an edge device, see Configure the Network Settings' Host Information.
Click Add. The Variable set: per Edge Device: <hostname> appears in the Template Variables list.
Variables set per Edge Device- Click the Add icon next to the variable set. The Variables line items drop down.
- In the Variable Name field, enter a variable name.
- In the Variable Value field, enter a variable value.
Multiple template variables can be uploaded using a .csv file. A sample .csv file is available to download for customization.
To add at least one template variable using a .csv file:
- From the Template Variables section, click the Upload icon. The Upload variable sets dialog box appears.
- (Optional) Click the here link to download a sample .csv file.
- Click Select File, navigate to a variable set .csv file, and then click Open. The selected .csv file appears in the File Name field.
- Click Upload. The variable sets listed in the .csv file appear in the Variable Sets list.
The Manufacturing Connect Edge device can be customized to automatically integrate a PubSub Connector or connect a Simulator device. See Google Cloud Pub/Sub Connector section of Connector Provider Reference Table and Generator for details.
For Manufacturing Connect version 2.12.0 and later, you can apply the default password policy during activation, select the Password Policy checkbox. If there are multiple password policies, the master default password policy that can't be deleted is implemented.
After activation, you can update the default password policy for individual edge devices.
Note: The Advanced Settings feature is available for Manufacturing Connect 2.11.0 and later.
When Manufacturing Connect (MC) connects to a Manufacturing Connect Edge (MCe), it uses Remote Access. Remote Access has a parameter PersistentKeepalive that you can reconfigure on how often to send an authenticated empty packet to a Manufacturing Connect Edge for the purpose of maintaining the MC-MCe connection. By default, Remote Access uses 22 seconds.
To set advanced settings, from the Remote Network Persistent Keepalive field, enter a number of seconds between 1-25.
When done configuring the Activation Configuration, click Save. Once saved, the activation code will then be generated at the Activation Code field.
After saving, the activation code will display underneath the Activation Code section. This code and the Activation URL will be needed when activating a Manufacturing Connect Edge instance.
To retrieve the activation code/URL:
- Copy to clipboard the Activation Code. It will be needed for activating a Manufacturing Connect Edge instance.
- Copy to clipboard the Activation URL. It will be needed for configuring a Manufacturing Connect Edge instance.
Use the copied Activation Code and Activation URL to Create an Activation Request in Manufacturing Connect Edge.