balenaCloud devices can run multiple microservices in separate Docker containers. Deploying MobiusFlow® to your device will create three microservices. You can start, stop and view logs for each service on the balenaCloud device summary page.

mobius

This microservice runs the MobiusFlow® application.

manage

Manages network interfaces. See Configure Networks for more information

mongodb

A full version of MongoDB which you can use to store / retrieve data in flows.

The default settings are

What You Will Need?

1. A balenaCloud account with Microservices access (this requires a paid account)

2. A compatible balenaCloud fleet (Up Board, Intel NUC or Raspberry Pi 4)

Deploying from balenaHub

Navigate to your balenaCloud dashboard and login in

Navigate to balenaHub to select which version of MobiusFlow® to deploy

Navigate to the Apps page

Search for MobiusFlow

Select the correct device type

Click on the Deploy button

Balena will switch to your balenaCloud dashboard

You can create a new fleet here or deploy to an existing fleet. If creating a new fleet refer to the Creating a Fleet section for details on what settings are required

If you already have a new fleet or want to upgrade the MobiusFlow® version on existing devices, select Use an existing fleet instead

Select the fleet from the drop down and click on the Deploy to fleet button

After a few seconds you will see the new release being built for your fleet

This will take a minute or two. Once the build is complete you will see the release on the dashboard. All devices, which have not been pinned to a specific release, in your fleet will automatically start to update to the new release.

You can also view the release history in the Releases page of your fleet.

Click on a device Summary to see which release it is running. You can also pin device to specific releases on this screen

What is balenaCloud?

BalenaCloud is a small device fleet management platform which simplifies the process of managing and maintaining 1000s of edge devices. It allows secure remote access and monitoring of each device and installing and updating product firmware of an entire fleet with a few simple clicks. See balenaCloud for more information.

What Device Types are Supported?

MobiusFlow

We currently have software images for thee different device types for balenaCloud. These are:

MobiusFlow RPI Connector

The MobiusFlow RPI Connector works with the following Raspberry Pi types:

• Raspberry Pi 4

• Raspberry Pi 5

If you are ready to get started, jump into the Creating a Fleet section to begin creating your first fully managed MobiusFlow® device on balenaCloud.

What You Will Need?

1. A balenaCloud account with Microservices access (this requires a paid account)

3. A Raspberry Pi 4 with minimum 1Gb RAM and 8Gb storage (eMMC or microSD card. The following instructions are for an SD card)

4. A power supply for your Raspberry Pi 4

5. An Ethernet network cable

6. An internet router with a free Ethernet port (or an Ethernet port on your LAN with internet access)

7. An SD card adaptor for your laptop or PC

Adding a Device

Navigate to the Fleets page

Click on the fleet you want to add a device to

Click on the Add device button

Leave all of the default settings. You can add a WiFi network (client or AP) later.

Select the Download balenaOS option in the drop down button. The balenaOS will start to download

Burning the balenaOS onto the SD Card

Place your microSD card into your SD card adaptor and connect it to your laptop or PC

Open balenaEtcher

Select Flash from file and choose the balenaOS image you downloaded above

Select your SD card as the target

Click on the Flash button

balenaEtcher will burn the balenaOS to your SD card and make it a bootable image. Wait for this to complete and for the image to be verified

Remove the SD card from the SD card adaptor and insert it into your Raspberry Pi 4's SD card slot

Plug the Ethernet cable into your Raspberry Pi 4's Ethernet port and your network

Power up your Raspberry Pi 4

Confirming Your Device is Connected to balenaCloud

After a few minutes your new device will appear in the balenaCloud dashboard. Navigate to your balenaCloud dashboard, select your fleet and view the fleet's Summary page.

You device will be added to the list at the bottom of the page. It will be given a random name which you can change on the device's summary page

Page coming soon. Please contact support@mobiusflow.com to arrange a support call on this topic.

balenaCloud devices are configured using Device Variables. When deploying MobiusFlow® to a balenaCloud fleet a number of Device Variables are created with default values. These are defined at the fleet level but can be overridden at the device level. More information about working with balenaCloud Device Variables can be found here.

MobiusFlow Device Variables

The image below shows the Device Variables created when MobiusFlow® is deployed to balenaCloud.

Expand the items below for detailed information on each Device Variable

The configuration of the network interfaces of a MobiusFlow® balenaCloud device is handled by the manage microservice. All configuration is stored in a JSON file which can be updated by plugging in a properly configured USB memory stick or through the balenaCloud device terminal.

Network Configuration File Structure

Editing the Network Configuration

Using the balenaCloud Device Terminal

Navigate to the Device Summary page of the device you want to configure

Open a terminal in the manage microservice

Change to the /data/.mobius/manage directory and edit the networks.json file by running the following commands:

This will open the network configuration file for editing using the vi editor

Make any required changes and save the file

Exit the terminal and restart the manage microservice by clicking on the restart icon next to the manage service

Using a USB Memory Stick

Using a USB memory stick to update the network interfaces is useful when none of the network interfaces is configured to connect to the internet so it is not possible to use the balenaCloud device terminal. You will obviously need physical access to the device to use this method.

Format the USB memory stick as FAT32

Rename the USB memory to MOBIUSCONF

Create a file on the USB memory stick called networks.json

Open the file on your laptop or PC in your favourite text editor and paste in the correct JSON configuration from the examples above

Make any required changes

Save the file and unplug the USB memory stick from your laptop or PC

Plug the USB memory stick into any of the USB ports on your device

Reboot your device

When the device reboots it will copy the networks.json onto the device and use the new configuration for its network interfaces (this will take a minute or two)

You can then remove the USB memory stick and your device will continue to use the new network configuration.

After signing up to balenaCloud follow their instructions to create a fleet and add your first device. We have simplified the process so you will only need to perform some of the actions they list. The steps below outline the process but for more information see the balena.io documentation.

What You Will Need?

1. A balenaCloud account with Microservices access (this requires a paid account)

Creating a New Fleet

Navigate to your balenaCloud dashboard and login in

Navigate to the Fleets page

Click on the Create Fleet button

Enter a fleet name

Choose device type Raspberry Pi 4 (using 64bit OS)

Select fleet type Microservices

Click on the Create new fleet button

You have created your first balenaCloud fleet! Now go to Adding Your First Device to add a device to this fleet

All MobiusFlow® instances require a valid licence to run. Licences define the maximum number of MobiusFlow® objects that you can add to an instance. For more information about MobiusFlow® licences refer to the Licensing page.

What You Will Need?

1. A valid MobiusFlow® licence (licences can only be used on one device)

Adding Your Licence to a BalenaCloud Device

Licences are added to balenaCloud devices by setting a device variable. All required device variables are created automatically when you deploy MobiusFlow® to a fleet. For more information see Device Variables.

Navigate to your balenaCloud dashboard and login in

Navigate to the correct fleet and device

Select the Device Variables page. You will see a list of all of the device's variables with override buttons next to each variable

Click the override button next to the MOBIUS_LICENCE variable

In the popup delete the text <replace with your licence code> and enter your licence code

Leave all other settings as their default values and click the Add button

Your licence code will be shown in the Device Variables list (see Device Variables for more information on all of the device variables shown in this list)

MobiusFlow® will restart to install the licence

Updating or Replacing a Licence

Under some circumstances it may be necessary to enter a new licence code. In order to make the new licence code work follow the procedure above to enter a new code

You will also need to tell MobiusFlow® to renew its licence by setting the Device Variable MOBIUS_LICENCE_RENEW to true

Click the override button next to the MOBIUS_LICENCE_RENEW variable

In the popup change the value from false to true

Leave all other settings as their default values and click the Add button

Wait for MobiusFlow® to restart, confirm that the new licence is working and reset the Device Variable MOBIUS_LICENCE_RENEW to false

Click the override button next to the MOBIUS_LICENCE_RENEW variable

In the popup change the value from true to false

Leave all other settings as their default values and click the Add button