Using Debian Advanced Package Tool (APT) for Apama on thin-edge.io

Apama 10.15.0.2 now supports the Debian advance package tool (APT) for the installation of Apama software and projects on thin-edge devices running on Debian operating systems. This process can be managed entirely using the Device Management app in your Cumulocity IoT tenant. Once your thin-edge device is set up, there is no further need to use the command line on your device. Instead, the following steps should be used to install support for Apama on thin-edge and individual Apama projects. Please note that when installing Apama projects, the projects must be compressed in ZIP format.

Set up the repository from which the packages will be installed

  1. In the Cumulocity IoT tenant, open the Device Management app, go to the Management menu option and select the Software repository.
  2. Click Add software at the right of the top menu bar.
  3. In the ADD SOFTWARE dialog enter the following details:
  1. Click the Add Software button.
  2. Now select the Devices menu option and then select All devices.
  3. In the list of devices, select the thin-edge device installed previously.
  4. In the sub-menu for the device, select the Software option.
  5. Click the Install software button in the bottom left; the apama-repo should be listed.
  6. Click the drop-down arrow on the right and check the 2022::apt radio button. Then, click Install.
  7. Finally, click the Apply changes button in the lower right of the panel.

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Add the Apama thin-edge support package to the tenant software repository and deploy it to thin-edge

  1. Return to the Device Management app and go to the Management menu option and select the Software repository.
  2. Click Add software at the right of the top menu bar.
  3. In the ADD SOFTWARE dialog enter the following details:
  • Software: apama-thin-edge-support
  • Description: apama-thin-edge-support (or something else if you choose)
  • Device Filter Type: (leave empty)
  • Software Type: apt
  • Version: ::apt
  • SOFTWARE FILE: select the Provide a file path option and give an empty space (’ ').
  1. Click the Add Software button.
  2. Now return to the Devices menu option and then select All devices.
  3. In the list of devices, select the thin-edge device installed previously.
  4. In the sub-menu for the device, select the Software option.
  5. Click the Install software button in the bottom left; the apama-thin-edge-support should be listed.
  6. Click the drop-down arrow on the right and check the ::apt radio button. Then, click Install.
  7. Finally, click the Apply changes button in the lower right of the panel.

Once Apama support has been installed, the correlator will attempt to start. However, it will initially fail because there is not yet an Apama project installed on the device. An Apama project can be deployed using the Cumulocity IoT tenant, as described below.

Installing an Apama project on the thin-edge device

Once you have created an Apama project you must zip up the project using the ZIP format and not some other compression utility. Then use your tenant to deploy the zipped project to your thin-edge device by following these steps:

  1. Return to the Device Management app and go to the Management menu option and select the Software repository.
  2. Click Add software at the right of the top menu bar.
  3. In the ADD SOFTWARE dialog enter the following details:
  • Software: apama-your-project-name
  • Description: apama-your-project-name (or something else if you choose)
  • Device Filter Type: (leave empty)
  • Software Type: apama
  • Version: 1.0::apama
  • SOFTWARE FILE: select the Upload a binary option and either drag and drop the project zip file created previously, or use the file chooser to navigate to it in your file system.
  1. Click the Add software button.
  2. Now return to the Devices menu option and then select All devices.
  3. In the list of devices, select the thin-edge device installed previously.
  4. In the sub-menu for the device, select the Software option.
  5. Click the Install software button in the bottom left; the apama-your-project-name project should be listed.
  6. Click the drop-down arrow on the right and check the 1.0::apama radio button. Then, click Install.
  7. Finally, click the Apply changes button in the lower right of the panel.

The project should be launched automatically upon deployment to the thin-edge device.

4 Likes

Great article! Some screens would be nice to support the steps in Cumulocity.

Thanks for feedback. Hope these screenshots help.

1 Like