Entity Model
Overview
Everything you configure in TEKTELIC KONA Core Network Server is an entity: a tenant, a user, a gateway, an application, a device and more. Entities reference each other, so some must exist before you can create others. Knowing the model helps you plan a LoRaWAN® network and set it up in the right order.
How it works
Two sides of the model
The entities form two branches under each tenant:
- Radio side: gateway models, gateway groups and gateways. Gateways receive radio traffic from devices.
- Data side: device models, applications, devices, data converters and integrations. They decide what happens with device data.
Alarm rules attach to entities on both sides.
Entities
| Entity | What it is | Belongs to |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant | An organization at the System, Provider, Customer or Sub-Customer level. See Tenancy Model. | The tenant one level above |
| User | A person who signs in to KONA Core. Each user has one role. | One tenant |
| Gateway model | A gateway type: manufacturer, name and frequency plan. A gateway takes its frequency plan from its gateway model. | A Provider |
| Gateway group | A set of gateways that share configuration, firmware management and alarm rules. A group can contain gateways of different models. Its tabs are Gateway group details, Configuration, Alarm Rules and SW Management. | A Provider, and optionally the Customer it is assigned to |
| Gateway | A LoRaWAN gateway, identified by its GW-ID. Each gateway uses one gateway model. | One gateway group |
| Device model | A device type: Manufacturer, Name, Type and Device class (Class A, B or C). | A Customer. The Provider level has no Device models page. |
| Application | A group of devices with shared network settings, integrations and alarm rules. Its tabs are Application details, Advanced network settings, Api limits and Alarm Rules. | A Customer, and optionally the Sub-Customer it is assigned to |
| Device | A LoRaWAN end device, identified by its DevEUI. | One application, with one device model |
| Multicast group | A group of devices in one application that receive the same downlink. | One application |
| Data converter | Code that decodes uplink payloads into readable data and encodes downlinks. It has a Name and a Type. HTTP_V2 integrations need a v2 converter. | A Customer |
| Integration | A connection that forwards an application's device data to your system, for example over HTTP or MQTT. It uses one data converter. | One application |
| Alarm rule | A set of triggers and notifications on the entity it is set on: it decides who is notified about an alarm, by email, SMS or MQTT. KONA Core records alarms without a rule too. See Events & Alarms. | An application, a gateway group or a gateway |
Alarm rules for applications and gateway groups are set on their Alarm Rules tab. The UI has no gateway-level alarm-rule editor. To manage rules for a single gateway through the API, see Save gateway alarm rules.
The device model Type is a free-text field, for example Asset Tracking.
The System level has no create, read, update or delete access to gateway models or device models.
Relationships and ownership
The tree shows what belongs to what. An arrow (→) marks a reference: the entity uses another entity but doesn't belong to it.
- Provider
- Users
- Gateway models
- Gateway groups (the Provider can assign a group to a Customer)
- Customer
- Users
- Gateway groups (own, or assigned by the Provider)
- Gateways → gateway model
- Alarm rules
- Alarm rules
- Gateways → gateway model
- Device models
- Data converters
- Applications (the Customer can assign an application to a Sub-Customer)
- Devices → device model
- Multicast groups
- Integrations → data converter
- Alarm rules
- Sub-Customer
- Users
- Assigned applications (owned by the Customer)
The System level sits above the Providers and creates them. A Sub-Customer owns no gateways. It sees its own applications and devices, and applications assigned by its Customer. A Sub-Customer administrator can add applications, devices, device models, data converters and integrations. It also opens Multicast Groups.
| Relationship | Cardinality |
|---|---|
| Gateway group → gateways | One group holds many gateways. A gateway is in exactly one group. |
| Gateway model → gateways | One model is used by many gateways. A gateway has exactly one model. |
| Application → devices | One application holds many devices. A device is in exactly one application. |
| Device model → devices | One model is used by many devices. A device has exactly one model. |
| Application → integrations | One application has many integrations. An integration belongs to exactly one application. |
| Data converter → integrations | One converter can serve many integrations. An integration uses exactly one converter. |
| Application → Sub-Customer | An application is assigned to at most one Sub-Customer. |
A device can use its application's network settings: the device form has a Use application settings option. For what these settings control, see Network Settings.
Creation order
Create the entities from top to bottom. Each step needs the ones before it.
- Tenant, with its subscription plan: a Provider Subscription Plan for a Provider, a Customer Subscription Plan for a Customer. See Subscription Plans & Limits.
- Users of the tenant. See Manage Users.
- Gateway model (Provider). See Manage Gateway Models.
- Gateway group. A Provider creates it and assigns it to a Customer, or a Customer creates its own. See Manage Gateway Groups.
- Gateway, inside a gateway group, with a gateway model. See Onboard a KONA Gateway via MQTT.
- Device model. See Manage Device Models.
- Application. See Manage Applications.
- Device, inside an application, with a device model. See Onboard a TEKTELIC Device.
- Data converter. See Payload Converters Overview.
- Integration, inside an application, with a data converter. See Integrations Overview.
- Alarm rules, on an existing application or gateway group. See Configure Application Alarm Rules and Configure Gateway Group Alarm Rules.
The radio side (steps 3 to 5) and the data side (steps 6 to 10) don't depend on each other. You can build them in either order. We recommend the radio side first: a device can join only when a gateway is online in range.
You add gateways from the gateway group's Manage gateways page, and devices from the application's Manage devices page. You can't add a device from the Devices page in the side menu. Gateways, applications, devices, integrations, Customers and Sub-Customers count against a subscription plan.
KONA Core blocks deleting a data converter, device model or gateway model that other entities still reference. This dependency protection doesn't apply to applications, devices, gateway groups or gateways. Deleting a gateway group also deletes its gateways. Review dependent entities before deleting these resources.
Deleting an application also deletes its devices, integrations and multicast groups. See Manage Applications before deleting one.
To create entities from your own system, start with Save gateway group, Save application or Save device in the API Reference.
For who can create and change each entity, see Users, Roles & Permissions.