Infrastructure

flowchart LR;
        database[(Database)]<-. sql connection over ssl .->firewall
        <-.->proxy([http reverse proxy])<-.->server(member dashboard/server)
        <-. mqtt messages .->mqttbroker([mosquitto/mqtt broker])
        mqttbroker<-. mqtt message .->frontdoor([front door rfid])
        mqttbroker<-. mqtt message .->cnc([CNC rfid])
        mqttbroker<-. mqtt message .->laser([laser rfid])
        mqttbroker<-. mqtt message .->resources([rfid device])

• The db runs on a hosting provider in the cloud.
• The server is internal. The server could also run in the cloud, but that would require us to expose the MQTT broker through the firewall.
• The web ui (which runs on the server) is exposed through a proxy.
• The server communicates to the rfid endpoints (aka resources) through the MQTT protocol.

Database

The database runs postgres.

Server

Responsibilities:

• handle backend requests for the "Member Dashboard" (aka the web ui)
• serve up the web ui
• publish/subscribe MQTT messages
• run tasks at scheduled intervals (e.g. reach out to payment providers to verify that members are up to date)

Web UI

The web ui is a dashboard that makes managing the space more convenient. It controls who has access to what and shows some membership stats.

MQTT Broker

The MQTT Broker allows the server to communicate to resources on the network (e.g. the frontdoor rfid device).

Resources

Resources is a term used for RFID devices. However, they don't have to be an rfid device. Essentially, a resource is just something that we can communicate with via MQTT.

For example, you could potentially build out an LED light controller that publishes and subscribes to MQTT events and then build some module on this member dashboard to control it.