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Learning Objectives
After reading this article, you’ll be able to:
Understand basic sensor workflow
Identify different stages of where data can be “stuck”
Ask the right questions to identify where your sensor data goes missing
Know where to turn to to solve the issue
Understanding the flow
In general, /wiki/spaces/WM/pages/492666 can be described as this: sensors send data to a platform/data cloud (for example LoRa sensors send their data through a LoRa gateway to the LoRa Sensor Cloud, whereas proprietary sensors send their data to relevant platform), and Workplace picks up the data from that platform.
Broken down in smaller steps (More information on how this workflow is set up: /wiki/spaces/WM/pages/492237 ):
sensor data needs to be communicated to the gateway,
before entering the data cloud,
where it will be picked up by the Workplace platform,
where the data moves through Spacewell internal tools, before being stored in 15 minute time slots in the data warehouse,
so that it can be visualized on a Workplace touch point (GO, Workplace App, Kiosk App, ...).
Additionally, data moves through even more tools (overnight) before it's available in the Workplace Dashboards or in the Replay.
This means that there are many stages in which data can get "stuck" or not be communicated and stored in the Workplace Platform.
Below questions will help you understand in which stage you're missing data, and what you can do about it.
Questions to ask when you're missing data
Question 1: Do you notice data is not coming into the Workplace Platform during an installation?
Did you follow the instructions on Installation & Quality Assurance (Install & Configure Gateways & Sensors) ?
Hub installed and confirmed working before sensor activation?
Look into hub Troubleshooting (Depending on the kind of hub, select the correct one from page LoRa Gateways / Hubs installation guides)
Was the Sensor activation done in a location where the gateway can be reached?
Check if the location mapping was done correctly
Verify that there are no typo’s in the sensor ID’s
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Question 2: Are all sensor affected?
(For some examples/concrete cases, check below chapter "Example Cases")
Yes
Hub offline (if only 1 site) (check ports, network and switch, physical hub)
Look into hub Troubleshooting (Depending on the kind of hub, select the correct one from page LoRa Gateways / Hubs installation guides)
Global problem (check other tenants)
Partial
Hub offline (check ports, physical hub)
Look into hub Troubleshooting (Depending on the kind of hub, select the correct one from page LoRa Gateways / Hubs installation guides)
in order to determine of the issue might be a Sensor vendor problem (is data coming into sensor platform, eg LoRa sensor platform, PointGrab Platform, Airthings), see question 3
No
Sensor specific, see question 3
Question 3: Check at which stage the data is missing? (follow below workflow)
(For some examples/concrete cases, check below chapter "Example Cases")
Workflow to follow about where data is missing
1. Check the data on the GO live floor plan
Go to https://go.cobundu.com
Login with tenant specific credentials
Select the relevant floor
(optional: Select the relevant sensor type in "View By")
Check the state of the floorplan
Check if the color of the location corresponds with the color of the data values of this sensor type (open legend; verify colors in Live floorplan settings)
Check dashboards
See troubleshooting list per Dashboard under Dashboards
2. Check How to monitor Sensor Health in Studio
Login with your credentials
Select Devices
Search the affected sensor
is the sensor ID correct (in hexadecimal?) and complete? Is a dash separating every 2 characters?
Check the sensor ID
Check the last seen
Open the Device Detail Page
Check the channel
Check the type based on the sensor models
Check the Location
Check the attribution of the location to Location Grouping (zones or departments)
What to do if a sensor is yellow in Studio Health?
Assuming a battery powered device:
Verify connection of the gateway to the sensor cloud; see step 3. Check the data on the sensor cloud (see example cases below)
if gateways are all connecting to the sensor cloud: Verify on-site connection from the sensor to the gateway (are there a lot of obstructions/metal between sensor and gateway?)
if sensor is next to gateway/surrounded by other sensors that are able to make good contact (green status): Make sure battery is inserted correctly (no false contact)
if battery was inserted correctly: Replace the battery (taking into account the rules around battery replacement)
for Browan sensors, at this stage, it’s possible to check the battery level (see /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492134)
if issue is not solved after battery replacement: replace the sensor
For any other device: see step 3. Check the data on the sensor cloud
What to do if a sensor is red in Studio Health?
Assuming a battery powered device:
Verify connection of the gateway to the sensor cloud; see step 3. Check the data on the sensor cloud (see example cases below)
if gateways are all connecting to the sensor cloud: Verify on-site connection from the sensor to the gateway (are there a lot of obstructions/metal between sensor and gateway?)
if sensor is next to gateway/surrounded by other sensors that are able to make good contact (green status): Make sure battery is inserted correctly (no false contact)
if battery was inserted correctly: Replace the battery (taking into account the rules around battery replacement)
if issue is not solved after battery replacement: replace the sensor
For any other device: see step 3. Check the data on the sensor cloud
3. Check the data on the sensor cloud
Only Spacewell Support and Spacewell Implementation Consultants have access to the following platforms.
Depending on the kind of device that you are troubleshooting, you’ll need to visit another platform:
Pointgrab sensors connect to /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492295
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Be sure to check PointGrab troubleshooting
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Airthings sensors connect to /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492369
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LoRa devices connect to /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492072
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Be sure to check Browan sensor troubleshooting guide
For Browan sensors: A sensor that sends joining messages is trying to join our LoRa network. Due to the way that LoRa works it can take quiet a few tries before everything is synchronized. If you're interested in knowing the battery health for Browan sensors, you can check this page: /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492134 |
VergeSense sensors connect to /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492301
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Be sure to check VergeSense troubleshooting guide
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4. Check physical installation on site
Troubleshooting on site
Things to take with you on site (depending on the device)
plastic badge/credit card/screw driver to open the sensor (check Browan Sensors installation guides on how to remove/replace a battery)
spare batteries (1/2 AA 3.6V lithium battery for Browan sensors)
spare caps (if needed for Browan sensors)
tape and scissors (see Browan Sensors installation guides for best practices on tape)
computer with access to internet: Studio back-end (health info) + documentation (eg gateway LEDs, installation instructions)
paperclip (optional)
microfiber cloth to clean surface
If all else fails…
If you have checked all the above settings and configurations, but data is still not flowing into the Workplace environment: please reach out to the Spacewell Support team.
Example Cases
Below you find some cases that we encountered at our customers. The questions the consultant should ask are a combination from the above Connectivity Guide and the Browan sensor troubleshooting guide
Example Case A: Sensor health yellow on alternating sensors → Hub offline due to changes to the switch
On the Sensor Health floor plan, we noticed on different days that different sensors were turning up yellow.
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After checking if the hubs were still online on the LoRa sensor platform, some turned out to be offline. So we needed to check if any changes were made to the physical devices or on the network:
After a physical check, it was confirmed that due to changes to the switch, one of the hubs was offline. This meant that the sensors had difficulties reaching the other hub and therefore they were not offline (red) but were able to connect to the remaining hub once in a while (hence the yellow To Check status). The switch was modified, the hub confirmed working again and the sensors were able to connect to the nearest hub again. |
Example Case B: Sensor health yellow on alternating sensors → Hubs needed reboot
On the Sensor Health floor plan, we noticed on different days that different sensors were turning up yellow.
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After checking if the hubs were still online on the sensor platform TTN, some turned out to be offline. So we needed to check if any changes were made to the physical devices or on the network:
After a physical check, it was confirmed that the lights on the hubs that were offline, were different than the lights on the ones that were online... A reboot of these hubs provided the solution: the hubs came back online and the sensors were able to connect to the nearest hub again. |
Example Case C: Sensor health red on all sensors → Change of internet provider
In this case, we noticed that all sensors were red on the Workplace Platform Sensor Health plan.
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After checking if data was coming on the LoRa sensor platform (no data was coming in) and if the hubs were still online, we noticed that all hubs were offline. So we needed to check if any changes were made to the physical devices or on the network:
After a physical check, hubs and switch seemed OK. They indicated that they could not make any connection to the sensor platform. In discussions with IT, we realized that around the time that data had stopped coming into the Workplace Platform, there had been a change of internet provider - and had not communicated the necessary ports to open. Once the ports were communicated and the new internet provider took action, the hubs and sensors came back online. |
Example Case D: Sensor health red on many sensors → Battery change
We noticed that many sensors turned red on the Workplace Platform sensor health plan.
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After checking if data was coming on the sensor platform TTN (no data was coming in) and if the hubs were still online, (which they were), we knew we had to take a closer look at the sensors. We performed a /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/492134 and noticed that the battery for all the relevant sensors was depleted. Following the instructions of battery replacement (Browan Sensors installation guides), the sensors came back online. |
Example Case E: Sensor health red on some sensors → Config error / typo in sensor ID
We noticed that some sensors stayed red / did not turn green on the the Workplace Platform Sensor Health plan after installation.
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Sensor ID’s that were red had a typo in them (could be one dash - too many in the ID, or a wrong number). After having removed the typo on these devices, the sensors started sending data to the Workplace Platform. |
Next steps
If the above instructions did not solve your issue, please reach out to Spacewell Support, including the results of the performed tests.
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