Is there a way to install ignition on a raspberry pi, and if so how is it done? I have java 8 installed already.
It’s possible to get it half-running, but not easy. We don’t have an ARM arch release, so there’s two major problems:
- The Java Service Wrapper component won’t work, so you can’t run it as a service or start it easily.
- The licensing binaries won’t work, so you can’t license it.
That being said, it’s possible to take the 32-bit linux zip release, unzip it, and then write a shell script that starts the gateway by invoking the same mainclass and including the same libraries on the classpath that the JSW does (look in ignition.conf to get an idea of what these are).
Needless to say, this is not a supported configuration…
Ideally it would be amazing to be able to deploy it so we could lower the cost of scada devices. Rather than requiring computers.
Is it possible for you to write a full installer for it?
Possibly, but I don’t think the pi is powerful enough to handle any appreciable workload, nor is it appropriate for use in any production capacity.
Personally I don’t think it’s wise to use them for anything more than, maybe, running the client and hooking it up to a TV to display some kind of dashboard.
flynhawaiian
First, Inductive automation must find value in bringing ignition on Raspberry which is being used by 2.5 million users today. Instead of waiting for that to happen, better to go with embedded x86 compatible Linux to kick start immediately.
Having said this, I fully support your initiative to test Ignition on embedded Linux PCs. In fact, i would like to share my pet project suitable for “Embedded Linux+Ignition”. This may help any one with a commercial mind.
Home automation CLOUD SCADA:
I was invloved on a huge home automation project (1000+ homes) for a residential community. Based upon my experience, i can say that Ignition would be an excellent choice for this market.
Home automation basically needs only 2 protocols - Modbus and Bacnet.
Home automation control components can be classified as:
-
A/C control – A/C SP and on/off control via Bacnet / Modbus communicating thermostat.
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On/Off conrol — Pump management, door contacts, On/off relay contacts from security system, lighting control etc. All these on/off logics can be managed through a small Modbus PLC (Twido).
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24x7 Security camera.
Commercial viability:
To make this project commercially viable, one must make a deal with a very good cloud service provider. The project must be engineered in such a way that, every home automation panel must have “Ignition OPC-UA server” (this is 100% free) which can communicate with the central ignition gateway on the cloud which in turn would serve live web pages to clients from their home automation panel via mobile devices.
Latest 60 days video records of 24x7 Security camera on cloud will be a very good value addition for the decision maker.
In fact, there must be a 24x7 control room (for a monthly service fee) to inform the clients in case of critical alarms like fire, security breach, lift failure and water tank empty or overflow due to pump failure or malfunction etc.
Project engineering:
-
The first step is to build a panel with “redundant Ignition OPC-UA servers + Modbus and Bacnet protocols + battery backup”.
-
A demo home automation project for the laptop.
Clients can have full fledged Ignition gateway demo license on their Laptop and play around with the demo project. Once they are satisfied, they can upload their project on to the Cloud Ignition gateway (for a monthly service fee). I think, one cloud Ignition can manage atleast 20 home automation projects.
Demonstrate this to high end schools, universities and real estate managers. In fact, one can sell this panel to O / A level students and university undergraduates for their projects.
High availabilty CLOUD SCADA for infrastructure management is a very big challenge. Of course, Ignition opens the gateway for this huge market.
This proposition may sound utopic but nothing wrong in dreaming 
. Thanks.
Embedded Linux pc links:
I would like to clarify certain points about my writeup above:
-
I recommend only the free “Ignition OPC-UA server” module on the embedded Linux machine. In other words, use these machines purely as an OPC server to the CLOUD Ignition gateway.
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Bringing BACNET driver capability on Ignition will help managing remote buildings and homes without additional cost and overheads. Running Kepserver on Windows 7 VM on remote Linux machines will become unmanageable and will add extra cost for the W7 and Kepserver license.
Linux Bacnet:
bacnet.sourceforge.net/
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Keep the cost of the remote home automation panel low. Generate monthly revenue by offering monitoring services through CLOUD IGNITION gateway.
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Demonstrate this model for “infrastructure asset management” to municipality and utility companies and win big projects.
I would like to know if i am missing anything in this proposition?. Share your views. Thanks.
[quote=“Kevin.Herron”]Possibly, but I don’t think the pi is powerful enough to handle any appreciable workload, nor is it appropriate for use in any production capacity.
Personally I don’t think it’s wise to use them for anything more than, maybe, running the client and hooking it up to a TV to display some kind of dashboard.[/quote]
That’s my take on it as well.
Here’s where I have running a client.
Although, if your gateway has enough power under the hood, perhaps running a mobile client would be a better way to go.
I just keep thinking how nice it would be to have a Raspberry Pi hooked up to the back of a touchscreen monitor for less than $400. I think it would really keep costs down and wouldn’t have problems. I’m sure a “lite” version could be made so it would run. Personally I’m not sure how though.
It’s possible to install the Java Service Wrapper on Raspberry pi, i have do it with Ignition 7.5.12 (LTS):
Install “ant” and “jdk-7-oracle-armhf” packages, remove jdk8 if installed.
set JAVA_HOME and ANT_HOME:
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/jdk-7-oracle-armhf/
export JAVA_HOME
ANT_HOME=/usr/share/ant
export ANT_HOME
Download and unzip Ignition:
wget files.inductiveautomation.com/re … nux-32.zip
unzip ignition-build7.5.12-linux-32.zip -d ignition
Download and compile the Tanuki’s Java Service Wrapper pre release:
wget heanet.dl.sourceforge.net/projec … .17.tar.gz
tar -zxvf wrapper_prerelease_3.5.17.tar.gz
cd wrapper_prerelease_3.5.17/
./build32.sh release
Install the arm libs in Ignition’s directory:
cd dist/
tar -zxvf wrapper-linux-armhf-32-3.5.17.tar.gz
cd wrapper-linux-armhf-32-3.5.17/lib/
cp libwrapper.so ~/ignition/lib/
cp wrapper.jar ~/ignition/lib/
cd …/bin/
cp wrapper ~/ignition/
cd ~/ignition/
mv ignition-gateway ignition-gateway.old
mv wrapper ignition-gateway
Starting Ignition:
chmod +x ~/ignition/ignition.sh
~/ignition/ignition.sh start
You can follow the starting process:
tail -f logs/wrapper.log
After few minutes, Ignition running:
System Status
System Properties
Context State Running
Redundancy Mode Independent
Redundancy State Active
Version 7.5.12 (b1556)
Java Version Oracle Corporation 1.7.0_40
CPU % 25.0
Memory (used/max) 166 mb / 1,022 mb
Uptime 1 hours, 7 minutes, 36 seconds
Timezone Europe/Paris [GMT+1:00]
Locale fr
Java Library Path lib:lib/core/gateway
I have done some tests with the OPCUA, Siemens Driver and SQL Bridge without problem …
But when i want to activate a license:
os.name=“linux”, os.arch=“arm”.
Validating native library “ignition-armhf”…
Could not validate native library.
Native library “ignition-armhf” could not be loaded, will try another if available
Validating native library “ignition-armel”…
Could not validate native library.
Native library “ignition-armel” could not be loaded, will try another if available
Error creating ActivationRequest.
Unfortunately, as Kevin says, the licensing binaries have not be compiled for an ARM arch.
It’s the only brake for us to deploy our light embedded system for our customer project.
In trial mod, all working fine…
It will be a good news to see an ARM binaries soon 
By
Alex
Is that the license file (license.ipl) use the same activation process (same binaries) as the cd-key ?
Recently i had a discussion with a physics teacher of O/A level. I mentioned about “Raspberry+Ignition” for home automation and science projects and gave her the weblink for Inductive automation. She did some reasearch, called me back and said “If you are ready, come and demostrate it to my class”. Couple of days back, she called me again and asked “are you ready?”.
Typically, i would like to run the “Ignition OPC UA server” on Raspberry, Ignition gateway+Demo on my laptop and demonstarte it. I have done enough research and haven’t come across any OPC UA server on Raspberry or on any embedded Linux machine. If we do it, it will have a big impact on Raspbians and will open up the market for “embedded OPC UA server on Raspberry for AB, Modbus and SIEMENS” for less than $100/-. An equivalent on “Kepserver+W7+PC+anti-virus” would exceed $4000/- easily.
I have to admit that Raspberry opens the doors for Schools and Universities easily and has penetrated deeply into the minds of academicians. Can we ignore this huge market?
Sorry for being over passionate about Ignition. Thanks.
Interesting links on Raspberry pi OPC UA server:
I like the idea of an OPC-UA server on RPi. I think I have a solution for that coming up.
Be interesting to see what you have, Kevin.
Why ARM processor matters?:
ARM processor based embedded sytems are the cheapest and their market share is growing very fast. Intel based embedded systems are very expensive and doesn’t have much market share. Almost every ARM embedded syatem is running on debian Linux.
According to wiki “Globally ARM is the most widely used instruction set architecture in terms of quantity produced. The low power consumption of ARM processors has made them very popular: over 50 billion ARM processors have been produced as of 2014 …”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture
I have downloaded and tested almost every “OPC UA server on LINUX” which i could find on google. I found almost every one of them was beyond my capability and gave up.
The only one OPC UA server which is easy to configure, runs rock solid on x86 LINUX and exceeded my expectations is Ignition. I love Ignition and would like to see the same rock solid reliable performance on ARM embedded systems as well.
Ignition will change the face of SCADA like iphone changed the face of mobile phones.
Any updates on OPC-UA server on Raspberry Pi?
any update on this?
The Raspberry Pi 2 (quad-core, 1GB ram) can run the Gateway. I’ve got it up and running and polling tags… Its even running MySQL and historizing some tags as well. I’ve also connected to it from another gateway via OPC-UA, so yeah, its possible nowadays.
That’s great. Thanks for the update.
Are you running a client on the Pi 2 also?
[quote=“heybales”]That’s great. Thanks for the update.
Are you running a client on the Pi 2 also?[/quote]
I’ve launched a couple clients that are interacting with a test project on the Pi, yes… Though I haven’t tried a mobile client yet (which actually executes on the Gateway as opposed to the majority client-side)…