Device Registration Overview
LoRaWAN uses an AES 128 CCM security model with the end Devices and the Join Server both provisioned with the end Device’s root key(s). The Join Server is used to authorize the Device and distribute session keys to the Network Server and Application Server while the end Device generates these same session keys locally. Typically, the manufacturer of Devices supporting Over-The-Air Activation (OTAA) will supply the Application Provider a manifest containing the Device EUI (DevEUI), Join Server EUI, (JoinEUI sometimes called the AppEUI) and Root Key(s) (LoRa v1.0 AppKey, LoRa v1.1 NwkKey and AppKey). Note, as a best practice, the JoinEUI should be specific to the Application Provider. Registration is the process of loading the DevEUI/RootKey(s) and associated meta data for each end Device on to the Join Server. The Activation process informs the network server that the Device is allowed on the network.
To activate a Device on the network it must be assigned to a Contract. This Device to Contract association establishes a billing relationship and the communications entitlement for a pool of Devices. When contracts are established, Contract IDs are assigned by SenRa and made available to associate in the Registration and Activation processes. When a Device is Activated it transitions to a billable state.
| State | Description | Billing State |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | Device identity is uploaded to the Network Server. | Not Billable |
| Activated | Device identity is assigned to a Contract and authorized to join the network. | Billable |
| Active | Authorized Device joined the network and is communicating. | Billable |
| Deactivated and Heard | Deauthorized Device still communicating on the Network. Device is excluded from re-joining the network. | Billable |
| Deactivated and Silent | Deauthorized Device no longer communicates and is not heard by the Network Server for a complete billing period. | Not Billable |
Registration and Activation may be accomplished using the UI in the Application Provider Portal or via API with JSON. It is important to note that once a Device has been Joined to the network the Contract assigned to the Device cannot be changed. In the event a Contract was incorrectly assigned, Support can assist with changing the contract associated with Devices.
In addition to Contract assignment, additional attributes may be associated with the Device during the Registration and Activation process or later as required, using either the UI onboarding process or calling the registration API. These additional identifying values can be assigned to each individual Device:
- Device Profile
- Deployed Device Location (Latitude/Longitude)
- Tag(s) (User defined text used to uniquely describe or identify groups of Devices for searching and filtering)
- Metadata (User defined text associated with a specific Device used for custom identification or associating additional data)
States & Transitions
Device States
| Starting State | Operation | Resulting State | Method | Contract ID | Device Profile | Tag | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unregistered | Registration | Registered | 'API with JSON' or 'UI with CSV' |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Registered | Activation | Activated | 'API with JSON' or 'UI with CSV' |
|
|
|
|
|
| Activated | Deactivation | Deactivated | 'API with JSON' or 'UI with CSV' |
|
- | - | - | - |
| Deactivated | Activation | Activated | 'API with JSON' or 'UI with CSV' |
|
|
|
|
|
Device Attribute Management
| Device State | Method | Contract ID | Device Profile | Tag | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activated, Never Joined | None (Not Available to Modify) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joined | 'API with JSON' | - | - | - | |
|
| Joined | 'UI with CSV' | - | - | |
|
|
Token Management (MFA)
Registration requires multi-factor authentication: a token must be requested and then submitted. In response to a token request, an email with a token (six-digit code) is emailed to the requesting user account. By default, the token has a one-hour lifetime and a single use count. Please contact support@senraco.com to modify the token lifetime or use count.
After the token is consumed (use count runs out) or expired, a new token must be requested. A new token will overwrite the previous one, even if it has not expired or been completely used.
Note
Device Activation and Device Deactivation do not require multi-factor authentication.
To get started, navigate to the Device Registration table.
- Click the
tab - If there are multiple applications; from the EUI column click the application EUI to navigate to the Application Detail View. Otherwise the view will automatically be directed to the Application Detail View.
- From the Application Detail View, Navigate to the Device Registration view by clicking on the
button
From the Device Registration table, select the upload 
button to start the registration process.
Register Devices
A registered Device must be activated before it can join the network.
A Device must be registered before it can be activated.
To register Devices, select the Register action, and click the ellipsis to upload a CSV file.
When the Upload File button is clicked, the following dialog allows the user to request and submit a token.
After a file is selected and token supplied, a confirmation dialog appears.
During Registration, the user can choose to assign a contract, or can select the Do Not Set operation if the contract association is unknown. Once the deployment destination is known, a contract can be assigned during the Device Activation process. A Device profile can also be applied to all Devices being registered.
Optionally, informational tags may be applied to this group of Devices.
Select Yes to upload the selected file.
Note
Device profiles and contracts are set when a device joins the network. Prior to joining, these values can be preselected. If "Do Not Set" is selected during registration, a value can be assigned during activation. If no contract or profile is selected during both operations, the default value configured for the application will be used at join time.
Once the upload data is validated an upload summary is displayed.
If the upload fails or the data is invalid, error feedback is provided.
Note
A single token is generated per application. When multiple users manage the same application, token management must be coordinated as new requests immediately overwrite the current token.
Activate Devices
An activated Device may join the network and start uplinking. Devices in this state are not considered "Active" until they have joined the network. Once a Device has joined the network, it appears in the Devices table.
Required column names in the CSV header: devEui
Populate the devEui column with previously registered or deactivated Device EUIs.
Select Activate in the action, and click the ellipsis to upload a CSV file of previously registered Devices.
After a file is selected a confirmation dialog appears.
This dialog requires the user to choose a contract and Device profile for the Devices in the csv file.
Optionally, informational tags may be updated or applied to this group of Devices.
Select Yes to upload the selected file.
Note
Device profiles and contracts are set when a device joins the network. Prior to joining, these values can be preselected. The value selected during activation will override the value selected during registration. If "Current or Default" is selected, the value assigned during registration will be used. If a device was not assigned a contract or profile during registration, the default value configured for the application will be used. After a device joins, the contract can be updated through deactivation.
The results of the activation are shown after the file is processed.
Deactivate Device
A deactivated Device can continue uplinking if it previously joined the network. Deactivated Devices cannot join or rejoin the network.
A Device must be registered before it can be deactivated.
A Device that is administratively deactivated but continues to communicate on the network is in an active billing state. To avoid billing for deactivated Devices, they must not be heard by the network for the entire billing cycle.
Required column names in the CSV header: devEui
Populate the devEui column with previously activated or registered Device EUIs.
Select Deavtivate in the action, and click the ellipsis to upload a CSV file of previously registered or activated Devices.
After a file is selected a confirmation dialog appears. This dialog requires the user to choose a contract for the Devices in the csv file. The Device's current contract can be used by selecting Current.
Note
The contract can be updated if the devices are activated from the deactivated state.
The results of the deactivation are shown after the file is processed.
Device Update
Upload a CSV file to update Device fields for all registered and activated Devices. The Devices' latitude, longitude and tags fields can be edited. From the Devices table, select the upload button to display the window below.
When the 
button is clicked, a file upload window will be displayed. After a file is selected, click on the Upload File to proceed.
Tags in the update can append, replace or delete existing tags based on the selected operation. The tags can be specified for individual Devices using a tags column in the csv file or for the full set of Devices using the tags input. The uploaded latitude and longitude will always replace the existing Device data. Select Yes to upload the previously selected file.
If the upload succeeds and the data is valid, an upload summary and any messages from the server will be displayed. If the upload fails or the data is invalid, an error message will be displayed. Devices included in the CSV will only be skipped if they do not exist.
CSV Format
Create a CSV file like the one below or download a template. The CSV file must contain a header with the required column names. All unrecognized column names in the header is be ignored.
Required column names in the CSV header: devEui, appKey
Optional column names in the CSV header: lat, lng, tags, metadata, devType
The appKey column is only required during registration. If a Device location is known, geographic coordinates may be supplied in order to display it on the Application Device-Details Map view.
All lines in the CSV file starting with # are treated as comments and ignored.
Example CSV
####################################################
# The number sign (or pound sign) denotes a comment
# This section is ignored
####################################################
devEui,appKey
AA11111F00000001,0B76FAB3C1A189403C145BF1FCB08647
AA11111F00000002,E4FFBA476D97E00D7E38EFD6BF883A32
AA11111F00000003,F64CF00A71CBB3DF29E1F269336088BD
Example CSV with optional data
####################################################
# The number sign (or pound sign) denotes a comment
# This section is ignored
####################################################
devEui, appKey, lat, lng, tags, metadata, devType
AA11111F00000001,0B76FAB3C1A189403C145BF1FCB08647, 42.356959,-71.053271,tag1;tag2,metadata1,WATER_SENSOR
AA11111F00000002,E4FFBA476D97E00D7E38EFD6BF883A32, 42.356779,-71.065271,tag1,metadata2,WATER_SENSOR
Note
The Device type must be supported by SenRa. Please contact SenRa Support for a list of Device types or submit a request to add a new Device type.
Device Management FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an Application Provider change a ContractId for a Device which has joined and is actively uplinking on the network?
No. Additional contract updates after a Device has joined the network need to be coordinated through SenRa Support.
Can an Application Provider change a ContractId (or any other fields) for a Device which Activated, but has not yet joined the Network?
Yes. The Device must be deactivated, then reactivated with a new ContractId or other fields to be updated.
When are Device fields updated?
Fields are only updated when there is a state change. Examples:
- A ContractId can be set when a Device is Registered or Activated
- If attempting to Activate a Device which is already in the Activated state the fields will not be updated.
Can Application Providers create and edit Device Profiles?
No. Device Profiles can only be assigned.