AWS IoT Greengrass extends functionality with third-party connectors, enhanced security, and more

At the AWS re:Invent 2018, Amazon announced new features to its AWS IoT Greengrass. These latest features allow users to extend the capabilities of AWS IoT Greengrass and its core configuration options, which include:

• connectors to third-party applications and AWS services
• hardware root of trust private key storage
• isolation and permission settings

 New features of the AWS IoT Greengrass

AWS IoT Greengrass connectors

With the new updated features AWS IoT Greengrass connectors, users can easily build complex workflows on AWS IoT Greengrass without having to worry about understanding device protocols, managing credentials, or interacting with external APIs. These connectors allow users to connect to third-party applications, on-premises software, and AWS services without writing code.

Re-use common business logic

Users can now re-use common business logic from one AWS IoT Greengrass device to another through the ability to discover, import, configure, and deploy applications and services at the edge. They can even use AWS Secrets Manager at the edge to protect keys and credentials in the cloud and at the edge. Secrets can be attached and deployed from AWS Secrets Manager to groups via the AWS IoT Greengrass console.

Enhanced security

AWS IoT Greengrass now provides enhanced security with hardware root of trust private key storage on hardware secure elements including Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).

Storing private key on a hardware secure element adds hardware root of trust level-security to existing AWS IoT Greengrass security features that include X.509 certificates for TLS mutual authentication and encryption of data both in transit and at rest. Users can also use the hardware secure element to protect secrets deployed to the AWS IoT Greengrass device using AWS IoT Greengrass Secrets Manager.

Deploy AWS IoT Greengrass to another container environment

With the new configuration option, users can deploy AWS IoT Greengrass to another container environment and directly access device resources such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices or low-power edge devices like sensors. They can even run AWS IoT Greengrass on devices without elevated privileges and without the AWS IoT Greengrass container at a group or individual AWS Lambda level. Users can also change their identity associated with an individual AWS Lambda, providing more granular control over permissions.

To know more about other updated features, head over to AWS IoT Greengrass website.

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