Technology
Cloud, on-premise and security
Where the positioning engine runs decides who operates it, what leaves your site and how you integrate. This page explains the common RTLS architectures neutrally, then what Noccela offers and how data is protected.
Three ways to run a real-time location system
Every RTLS has the same chain: tags, base stations (UWB anchors), a positioning engine, storage and applications. The difference is where the engine and the data live.
Cloud
Base stations send measurements over the internet to a positioning engine in a data centre. The vendor operates the servers, applies updates and scales capacity.
Good for: No servers on site; quick roll-out to many sites; updates handled for you.
Watch out for: Needs a reliable internet connection; location data leaves the site, so policies and contracts must allow it.
Edge
Some decisions are made on the devices or a gateway at the site: a tag warns its wearer by itself, or a local controller switches a warning light.
Good for: Alerts keep working when the network is down; very little data needs to travel.
Watch out for: Limited analytics and history on the device; a fleet of edge devices needs remote management.
On-premise
The positioning engine, the database and the user interface run on a server inside your own network.
Good for: Data stays on site; works without internet; fits strict IT and security policies.
Watch out for: You host the hardware, backups and network access; adding sites means adding servers or connecting them.
| Question | Cloud | Edge | On-premise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where positions are computed | Vendor’s data centre | On devices or a site gateway | Your server |
| Where history is stored | Vendor’s data centre | Mostly not stored | Your server |
| Internet needed for operation | Yes | No | No |
| Who runs servers and updates | Vendor | Vendor and site | Your IT, with the vendor |
| Typical fit | Multi-site, fast start, pilots | Local warnings, temporary zones | Factories, safety, strict IT policies |
Real systems often mix them: warnings at the edge so they never wait for a network, and the engine and history in the cloud or on a server.
What Noccela offers
Cloud service
On-premise server
Functions at the edge
How data is protected
No inbound access to your network
Base stations need an internet connection, but no public IP address, no static IP address and no access to your private network. A separate VLAN keeps them apart from office IT.
Encryption in transit
Web, API and real-time connections use TLS: HTTPS for the platform and the HTTP API, secure WebSocket (WSS) for the real-time stream.
OAuth 2.0 for integrations
API clients authenticate with the OAuth 2.0 client-credentials flow and receive short-lived tokens. Each app gets only the permissions it needs, site by site.
Roles for people
The Admin Panel of the Location Intelligence Platform assigns users to roles, so each person sees and changes only what their job requires.
Retention you set
Retention settings decide how long location history is kept. History stores a new row only when a tag has moved more than 0.5 m, which keeps the record lean.
Vulnerability reporting
Found a security issue? Our security page explains how to report it and what happens next.
Security and vulnerability reporting API authentication Website privacy notice
Privacy by design for people tracking
Tracking people for safety can be lawful in the EU when it is necessary, proportionate and transparent. These five patterns make that easier to achieve and to show.
Purpose limitation
Decide and write down why you track people, for example forklift warnings and mustering, before go-live. Location data collected for safety should not be reused to monitor working time.
Safety-only modes
Configure the system to raise alerts and count heads at muster points without keeping trajectories, storing only the events that matter.
Pseudonymisation
Assign badges to roles or numbers rather than names. Keep the link between badge and person in a separate, access-controlled register.
Short retention
Keep personal location history only as long as the purpose needs, and use aggregated data, such as heatmaps, for analysis.
Employee consultation
In Finland, technical monitoring of employees goes through the co-operation procedure; in Germany, the works council has a say. Tell employees what is recorded and what is not.
In most deployments the employer is the controller of employees’ location data. A vendor that hosts the system for you processes the data on your behalf under a data processing agreement. A data protection impact assessment is usually expected before tracking people.
Hosting choice is part of the answer: with the On-Premise Server, location data stays in your own network.
Frequently asked questions
Do base stations need a public or static IP address?
Can the system run without an internet connection?
Where is the data stored?
How do our applications authenticate to the APIs?
Is it legal to track employees for safety?
How do we report a security vulnerability?
Bring your IT and data protection questions
Tell us about your network, hosting and privacy requirements. We will show you how the system fits them, in the cloud or on your own server.