Barbara platform release 2.4.0: Virtual Nodes arrive to Barbara!

This release, version 2.4.0, of the Barbara platform introduces significant enhancements that will expedite your proof of concepts and production deployments. Additionally, we have revamped various views and cards to improve the platform's usability, making interactions smoother and faster.

Release Notes
Written by:
Jaime Vélez

Test your proofs of concept faster with Virtual Nodes

When it comes to conducting small tests, PoCs, or simply simulating scenarios and environments, needing a physical Edge Node can be a significant barrier for some engineering teams. That's why in this new version of Barbara, we have decided to integrate support for virtual devices.

With this functionality, you will be able to virtually install a firmware image of Barbara on any virtual machine and manage it as if it were a physical edge node. And most importantly, you can deploy, run and manage your edge applications on it.

A new wizard for batch operations to simplify the process

One of the key highlights of the Barbara platform is its ability to manage devices in batches, rather than individually. In version 2.4.0, we have completely redesigned the process, making these operations more straightforward and user-friendly.

Introducing a new, user-friendly wizard, we will guide you step-by-step through performing actions on multiple nodes simultaneously. Whether it's modifying configurations, deploying applications, sending firmware updates, or any other task, you'll have the convenience of accomplishing them efficiently and effortlessly.

Users management redesign

You will notice that we have integrated the management of your company and your own profile under the same header menu. Now, by clicking on your avatar, you can access both sections.

This change will allow you to edit your own profile easier and manage your company and users in a unified view:

1. Your profile view simpler

UserProfile

Your profile view has been drastically redesigned to make data modification easier, reducing the number of clicks required to complete common actions in this section.

2. User and organization management unified

Organization Profile View

The former Users view has been transformed into an Organization view where, in addition to managing company users, you can also view certain account information, such as the active License type, or modify other details, such as the company profile picture.

Deploy apps more easily

We've given the application deployment wizard a makeover to make it more user-friendly. Now, you can effortlessly adjust the application's configuration before deploying it. It's all about making things easier and giving you more flexibility!

WizardAppsGIF

Security improvements

We have updated certain elements of the platform to enhance security. The most notable update is related to the Login process. We have integrated a new user management engine that provides more granularity in controlling user permissions.

Additionally, we have included several improvements to the stability and security of our components, Barbara OS and Barbara Node Manager, the firmware loaded onto the edge nodes.

Bonus: small interface improvements

At Barbara, we always focus on designing the most complete but also the most comfortable tool for teams responsible for deploying applications on the Edge. That’s why we don’t want to forget to mention some small details and changes we’ve implemented in the new version 2.4.0.

  • The icons representing the typology of an application in the Spaces and Library views have been redesigned to facilitate a quicker identification.
  • The Analytics card has changed the order in which parameters and filters can be selected to follow a more natural flow when presenting the information.
  • In the Spaces view, we have added a small alert indicator when a new version of the application is available.
  • We have added some status info on every application card when it’s folded so that you get some quick visual information about how the app is behaving.