Secure Local-First
IoT Platform
Migrated
Response
Uptime
Time
to Release
The Problem
Haytek, an IoT device manufacturer, had a critical problem: all their devices relied on a centralized global server. This created serious vulnerabilities that threatened both the business and their customers.
"Every device depended on one server. If it went down, every customer went dark."
The risks were severe:
- Security risk — all customer data routed through external servers
- Single point of failure — if the global server went down, all devices went offline
- Privacy concerns — sensitive data leaving customer premises
- Latency — slow response times from remote server communication
- Vendor lock-in — customers fully dependent on Haytek's infrastructure
How We Solved It
We built a lightweight, self-contained server that runs entirely on customer premises — on a standard mini PC:
Device Communication Hub
- WebSocket server for real-time device communication
- MQTT broker for IoT protocol support
- Local network discovery for automatic device pairing
- Offline-first architecture with local data storage (SQLite — no external DB needed)
Authentication & Security
- JWT-based authentication with role-based access control (RBAC)
- API key management for secure integrations
- TLS/SSL encryption for all communications
- Secure private VPN infrastructure for remote management
- AES-256 encryption at rest, no hardcoded credentials
REST API Server (.NET / C#)
- 50+ endpoints covering all device operations
- OpenAPI / Swagger documentation
- Rate limiting, WebSocket upgrade for real-time streams
- Webhook support for event-driven integrations
ClickOnce Installer (Windows)
- Single-executable installer — all dependencies bundled
- Guided first-run setup wizard
- Runs as a background service (auto-starts on boot)
- One-click updates for patches and new features
The Installer Was Critical
Non-technical site managers needed to deploy this themselves. We invested heavily in the installer UX — setup flows, error handling, and validation — so it would work first time, every time.
What We Delivered
The Results
Business Impact
- Zero external server costs — eliminated global server infrastructure entirely
- Opened new enterprise markets — security-conscious customers who couldn't use cloud
- Customers now fully own their data and infrastructure
- GDPR/HIPAA compliance significantly easier — data never leaves the site
"The transition from cloud to local was seamless. We now have complete control over our IoT infrastructure, our data never leaves our facility, and everything is faster and more reliable. The click-once installer meant our non-technical site managers could deploy it themselves."
Technologies Used
Ready to Build
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