In October 2013, Zebra Technologies announced Zatar, an open-platform, plug-and-play, cloud-based solution to connect and control your Internet of Things devices, wherever those devices might be. Zatar’s simple, intuitive interface also allows collaboration with all members of your extended team to, as Zebra puts it, “Share data. Take action.” Plus, the Zatar interface is optimized for tablet use, making it the perfect mobile compliment to cloud-based delivery of real-time metrics. Better yet, no independent development is required. Just load it and use it.
Zatar connects your devices and sensors via the Zatar Gateway – even legacy hardware. The Zatar Gateway accepts downloads of device-specific code and can manage dozens of devices simultaneously. Functioning as an “IoT router,” the gateway is preloaded with Zebra’s ZAgent, custom firmware and communicates with the Internet via WiFi, Ethernet or 3G cellular. In turn, the Zatar Gateway connects to devices and sensors by USB, Ethernet or WiFi.
Zatar creates a unique profile page for every connected device to allow ease of remote identification and management of each device, as well as to better facilitate sharing of device-specific data with other team members. Indeed, the software was designed with group collaboration and data accessibility in mind.
Above all, Zatar is secure and reliable, delivering enterprise-level security via HTTPS and GeoTrust-certified SSL connections, with RSA-encrypted exchanges, as well as enterprise-grade reliability via an Amazon Web Services backend. Zatar is delivered fully realized – its full plug-and-play-plus functionality requires no user programming, although, as an open platform, users are also free to customize Zatar at will.
The Zatar Web App works as well on desktops as it does on tablets, providing an off-the-shelf, user-centered device-management interface. But, if you want to create custom applications, Zebra doesn’t lock you into a proprietary platform. Zatar API allows you to use your preferred programming language. The Zatar Concepts portal will guide you every step of the way.
The growing list of supported devices currently includes:
- iPhone, iPad: App available from the Apple AppStore.
- Raspberry Pi: For use as edge devices. Code available from Zebra.
- Intel NUC: Intel’s mature NUC Ecosystem delivers full scalability within a minimal form factor.
- TI Sensor Tag: Zatar supports the TI Sensor Tag through the Zatar RDM for iPhone app.
- Motorola FX9500 RFID Reader: In development.
- Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID Reader: Also in development.
- Zebra Printers: Currently supported printers include Zebra’s GX420d and GX420t Desktop Printer, plus its ZM400, MT230, 110Xi4 and 220Xi4 Industrial Printers.
Bottom line: Zatar is powerful enough to serve global enterprises, yet simple enough to allow even the smallest business to set up and manage IoT solutions.
To learn more about other Zebra Technologies products, visit our website. Our experts are available to answer any questions that you may have.