Scale Arduino Beyond Single Devices with Arduino Cloud

Although Arduino started as a platform for students and hobbyists, it has grown into a practical platform for professionals in the Internet of Things (IoT) era. Arduino Cloud takes things to the next level by enabling you to build complex systems with dozens of devices sharing data through cloud backends and web dashboards.

With options scalable from the Entry and Maker plans to the Enterprise plan for professional deployments with monitoring, Arduino Cloud offers remarkable flexibility. Let’s look at its main features and how you can use it to scale your projects.

Expanding the possibilities with Arduino Cloud

At its core, Arduino Cloud has three key elements:

1. A web-based integrated development environment (IDE) that offers dozens of configurable widgets that can be used to build control centers.
2. A backend that enables Arduino devices to connect to the cloud and securely share data, including non-Arduino devices and third-party web applications.
3. An IoT Remote mobile app for controlling and monitoring devices (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Arduino Cloud provides widget-based dashboards and a mobile app for controlling and monitoring devices. (Image source: Arduino)

On the Enterprise plan, teams also gain access to collaboration features. With these tools, multiple users can work on the same project and share resources securely in an ISO 27001-certified environment.

Overall, Arduino Cloud streamlines IoT development while providing access to advanced capabilities. You can quickly start a project using a pre-defined template and then leverage machine learning tools and other sophisticated features, making Arduino Cloud remarkably flexible: It can be used by anyone, from makers to corporations.

A step-by-step walkthrough of Arduino Cloud

To illustrate how Arduino Cloud works in practice, let’s walk through setting up a smart garden monitoring system. This example demonstrates the platform’s key capabilities while showing how to deploy a working IoT solution quickly.

1. Set up an account: Getting started with Arduino Cloud is simple: navigate to cloud.arduino.cc and create an account.

2. Connect the hardware: Select “Add Device” from the Devices menu and follow the setup wizard. The platform automatically detects Arduino hardware and guides the user through the configuration process.

3. Use a template: Arduino Cloud offers pre-built templates for a wide variety of applications, from cat feeders to factory-ready industrial controllers. The templates can be modified as needed.

4. Write code: For a more traditional programming experience, the Cloud Editor provides a standard IDE with the features developers expect. One recent addition is over-the-air (OTA) support, which lets users push code updates over wireless networks.

5. Set up integrations: Connect your projects with platforms like Home Assistant or create custom integrations through Node-RED using webhooks and application programming interface (API) keys.

6. Monitor the project: Once deployed, you can monitor projects through a web dashboard or the IoT Remote app.

Throughout the process, you can access tutorials and other built-in resources for guidance on using the tools.

Scale and manage enterprise-level deployments

When it’s time to code and deploy at scale, the Enterprise plan gives you access to Arduino Cloud for Business. This enhanced platform offers Shared Spaces, which provide enterprise-grade environments for managing projects, devices, and data.

One of the more notable features of Shared Spaces is collaborative coding. Multiple members of your team can work on the same code simultaneously, with the IDE mediating the experience (Figure 2). Team members can also add new devices, monitor performance metrics, and push updates.

Figure 2: Cloud for Business features Shared Spaces to facilitate collaboration by providing alerts when other users are editing code. (Image source: Arduino)

Data-sharing capabilities round out the Enterprise offering, allowing teams to distribute dashboards and real-time updates both internally and to external stakeholders. This feature is particularly valuable for organizations that need to provide visibility into their IoT systems across different departments or to clients and partners.

Choosing the right Arduino Cloud plan

A tiered pricing structure gives users options to suit their needs. The Entry plan provides an accessible starting point for individuals and small projects, accommodating up to 10 devices with 15 days of data retention.

The Maker plan opens up additional possibilities for serious makers and small businesses. It supports up to 25 devices and has an extended data retention of 90 days, enabling users to build more sophisticated systems. Dashboard sharing enables collaboration, while cloud triggers add automation capabilities through push notifications, making creating more responsive IoT solutions possible.

At the top tier, the Enterprise plan removes the constraints that might limit larger organizations. With flexible device limits and comprehensive features, it’s built for scalability and professional deployment. Organizations gain access to essential business tools, including role-based access control for security, comprehensive fleet management capabilities, and the ability to add custom branding to their dashboards.

Conclusion

Arduino Cloud marks a key milestone in Arduino’s evolution by offering a development ecosystem that scales from individual makers to enterprise teams. It combines intuitive tools with robust cloud infrastructure to simplify the journey from concept through development, deployment, and monitoring of IoT projects for creators of every stripe.