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Cloud Setup Overview

Connect your IoT Toolkit to the cloud for remote monitoring and data storage.

Cloud Options

Two deployment methods are supported:

  • AWS IoT Core

    Managed cloud service with enterprise features

    • X.509 certificate authentication
    • Automatic scaling
    • Rules engine for data processing
    • Integration with AWS services

    Setup Guide

  • Self-Hosted

    Full control with open-source tools

    • MQTT broker (Mosquitto)
    • Database (InfluxDB/PostgreSQL)
    • Dashboard (Grafana)
    • No monthly fees

    Setup Guide

Comparison

Feature AWS IoT Core Self-Hosted
Cost Pay per use Hardware/VM cost only
Maintenance Managed by AWS Self-maintained
Scalability Automatic Manual scaling
Security Enterprise-grade Depends on setup
Learning Curve Medium Higher
Data Control AWS cloud Your infrastructure

Which to Choose?

Choose AWS IoT Core if:

  • You want managed service
  • You need enterprise security
  • You're already using AWS
  • You want to focus on application, not infrastructure

Choose Self-Hosted if:

  • You want full control
  • You have privacy requirements
  • You want to minimize ongoing costs
  • You enjoy server administration

Quick Start

AWS IoT Core Path

  1. Create AWS Account
  2. Set up IoT Core
  3. Configure ESP32 certificates
  4. Create rules for data storage

Self-Hosted Path

  1. Launch the IoT Toolkit Stack (Docker)
  2. Verify Zero-Touch Authentication
  3. Configure ESP32 Local Server IP
  4. View data in InfluxDB

Protocol Support

Protocol AWS IoT Core Self-Hosted
MQTT ✓ Native ✓ Mosquitto
MQTT over TLS ✓ Port 8883 ✓ Configurable
HTTP ✓ API Gateway ✓ Custom
CoAP ✗ Not supported ✓ Custom broker

Security Considerations

Always Use:

  • TLS encryption (MQTT over TLS)
  • Strong authentication (certificates or API keys)
  • Unique client IDs
  • Regular credential rotation

Never:

  • Send data unencrypted
  • Use default passwords
  • Expose MQTT broker to internet without authentication
  • Hardcode credentials in code (use configuration files)

Data Flow

ESP32 → WiFi → Internet → Cloud Service → Database → Dashboard
   ↓
Sensors → MQTT/HTTP → TLS Encryption → Storage → Visualization

Monitoring

Metrics to Track

  • Connection status (online/offline)
  • Message count
  • Data latency
  • Sensor battery (if applicable)
  • Error rates

Alerts

Set up notifications for: - Device disconnection - Sensor reading anomalies - System errors - Security events

Cost Estimation

AWS IoT Core (Estimated)

Usage Level Monthly Cost
Low (1 device, 1 msg/min) $1-5
Medium (5 devices, 1 msg/sec) $10-20
High (25 devices, 10 msg/sec) $50-100

Self-Hosted (Development)

For students and developers, you can run the entire IoT stack on your Personal Computer using Docker. This approach has zero cost and is ideal for learning, testing, and rapid development.

Next Steps