Historical data can be essential to making your electronics and Arduino project work how you want them to. Data retention is one of the features that changes depending on which level of Arduino Cloud account you have. Here’s everything you need to know, so you can choose exactly the right Arduino Cloud plan.
Data or Variables?
The Arduino Cloud automatically generates sketches when you add variables to your Things .
But don’t panic. We aren’t here to discuss data retention.
We are. This is how we refer to the data that you send to the Arduino Cloud. Although it sounds technical, consider the meaning of the word. “Variable,” which is a bit more logical than “data”, which can be a little fuzzy, actually makes more sense.
Variables can be information that is dynamic or changes . For example, temperature. A temperature sensor that sends data to the Cloud is a variable. Because the temperature value (the temperature) changes/variates constantly.
It’s a variable in your sketch. You can choose from different data retention options within the Arduino Cloud plans to determine how long the Cloud will keep a record.
Historical Data Options
Each Arduino Cloud plan has a different time limit for the retention of sensor data depending on your needs.
Your home automation system will use real-time data to turn on the lights when it gets dark. This means that 24 hours worth of sensor data is sufficient. You won’t be able to turn a lamp on/off based on the ambient light levels of yesterday.
However, a weather station may work differently. You might want to create a comparison of the data to see the weather’s changing patterns. An Arduino Cloud Entry plan will give you 15 days worth of data. This allows you to track and record any changes in your weather station variables.
It would be more valuable to have historical data about an IoT greenhouse or an aquarium or terrarium. It could even be an industrial project monitoring equipment for predictive Maintenance requirements. It could be crucial to have a history of variables from previous weeks or months. You’ll need to go Maker or Maker Plus in this case so that you can create dashboards with detailed histories and measurements.
It is possible that you don’t know how much historical information will be helpful to your project in the beginning. Start on the free tier and decide it would be helpful to have legacy data. Next, you move up to the Entry plan, finally settling on Maker. You can trust the project to lead you until it delivers everything you need.
Putting Historical Data to Use in Arduino Cloud
Arduino Cloud is very clever in how it handles data generated by sensors that are used as variables. You can, for example, specify how often new data will be sent to Arduino Cloud.
Let’s suppose you are monitoring Wi-Fi signal strength in the garden’s bottom. This is where a weather station (or project) is installed. Power consumption is critical if the device is solar or battery powered. You can increase battery life by changing the data sampling interval. Instead of updating an Arduino Cloud variable every second, it will update once per minute. This device operates in a fraction of its previous state, with the same useful information.
This data can be combined with historical data for 15 days to three months, allowing you to build a comprehensive picture of Wi-Fi performance. You can also use the Arduino Cloud dashboard to see what happened to your signal.
Choosing the Right Arduino Cloud Plan
These are just a few reasons why you will find different data retention options in the Arduino Cloud plans. Not all projects need as much data retention as possible. We discussed that even complex and elaborate projects don’t require much retention. Others, such as simple rainfall measurement or signal strength monitoring, will need to be able to see what was happening months back.
The different Arduino Cloud plansoffer a variety of historical data options to suit different needs. Start with the free plan if you are unsure about how your project should work. Then, work up to the paid plan.
