Trying to understand Portal as a whole

[FWORRELL]

I'm really trying to understand portal in it's entirety.

Is portal a local module that looks to a cloud server or is everything that portal does local?

If it is strictly local, why is there a subscription fee?

I've had the network module for years, is that mine to keep forever if I try portal and decide not to use it again?

What other devices/software will portal interface with, besides Echo and IFTTT?

It seems like this could be split into 2. One for people who want to integrate with other technologies (like Echo/IFTTT) and those who need remote management with multiple uses and ISY's

 

Thank you for any help,

 

Fred

[Teken]

I'm really trying to understand portal in it's entirety.

Is portal a local module that looks to a cloud server or is everything that portal does local?

If it is strictly local, why is there a subscription fee?

I've had the network module for years, is that mine to keep forever if I try portal and decide not to use it again?

What other devices/software will portal interface with, besides Echo and IFTTT?

It seems like this could be split into 2. One for people who want to integrate with other technologies (like Echo/IFTTT) and those who need remote management with multiple uses and ISY's

 

Thank you for any help,

 

Fred

 

Hello Fred,

 

Just a quick over view for you as I don't have a lot of time to reply.

 

- If you own the Network Module you can pretty much do all the same things the portal does. The ISY Portal is intended primarily as a Plug & Play service. The ease of use and ability to integrate with two of the most asked for services / products is why it was created.

 

- The $49.XX two year subscription fee is to offset the on going costs of the cloud hosted service. Which also includes the Network module but I always suggest a person actually purchase and own the add on.

 

- The ISY Portal will over time support more hardware / services that are currently in the works: Honeywell THC, Push Bullet, etc

 

- The Network Module you have is yours to own forever.

 

-  The ISY Portal offers remote access, no port forwarding, multi login, multi controller management, etc

Edited January 3, 2017 by Teken

[stusviews]

The portal is not local at all. The portal allows secure access to the ISY from off-site using a browser as well as IFTTT and Echo,

 

I purchased a network before the portal was available. It's mine to keep even if I discontinue the portal subscription.

[paulbates]

I'm really trying to understand portal in it's entirety.

Is portal a local module that looks to a cloud server or is everything that portal does local?

If it is strictly local, why is there a subscription fee?

I've had the network module for years, is that mine to keep forever if I try portal and decide not to use it again?

What other devices/software will portal interface with, besides Echo and IFTTT?

It seems like this could be split into 2. One for people who want to integrate with other technologies (like Echo/IFTTT) and those who need remote management with multiple uses and ISY's

 

Thank you for any help,

 

Fred

 

 

Hi Fred

The ISY Portal is a cloud based service of which the ISY is a client. They each have a part to play. The ISY logs in to the ISY Portal service. This allows you to close any router ports you have open for the ISY. As you pointed out, the Portal can be thought about in 2 ways:

 

1) Remote access to the ISY as an internet appliance with no firewall ports open. 

 

ISY->Portal->You outside of your home.. The ISY calls out to the portal and stays attached. You login into the ISY Portal to get back in.

Functions include: Remote Admin Console, Remote web page access, Remote Home Automation Dashboard... and connectivity for mobile applications that support it.... Mobilinc and Agave are what I'm aware of, I'm sure others do too.

You can also reboot, upgrade and look at logs.

 

2) Connection to 'Cloud HA' Enablers. Today this includes the Amazon Echo and IFTTT (if this then that).

UDI has indicated their intent to also include Google Home as well. Since all 3 of these integrate many individual products like thermostats, switches, alarms systems, etc... its likely UDI will consider additional big integration points like the Echo, IFTTT, Home...if more come along.

 

Yes, if you bought and paid for the Network Module, it remains yours.... that's how its worked out for me

 

I use all of its features currently. Its been worth it to me. I don't think UDI will want modify the portal to split those apart when its $2 a month to begin with.

 

Paul

[larryllix]

Think of the portal as a safe way to be interactive with ISY from anywhere.

 

The Network Module is a one way output only, locally initiated comms from inside your LAN, and doesn't handle any input data to ISY, no port forwarding is required.

[Teken]

Think of the portal as a safe way to be interactive with ISY from anywhere.

 

The Network Module is a one way output only, locally initiated comms from inside your LAN, and doesn't handle any input data to ISY, no port forwarding is required.

 

Technically the network module is 2 way - How much it can do in both directions really depends upon the protocol used and the appliance / service its talking to.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Teken,

 

Network module is one way: from ISY to something (not the other way around). ISY has APIs (REST/Web Services) that are available out of the box and which do NOT depend on the Network Module.

 

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Teken]

I stand corrected and mixed up the REST / Web Services as being inbound. See what happens when you make that controller so powerful and seamless!

 

It just works . . .

 

Thank You