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Install RCOM Agent Edgeware- Device Side Installation Guide

This guide walks you through installing the RCOM Agent on a Linux device using Docker Compose. The RCOM Agent is a modular platform that enables centralized management, configuration, and monitoring of AutoID devices (such as RFID readers, barcode scanners, sensors, and RTLS systems) in distributed environments.

Use this guide for fresh installations or upgrades of RCOM Agent environments. Once the environment is ready, you can deploy and configure individual agents as needed.

Prerequisites​

  • Linux server or device with Docker and Docker Compose installed.
  • Network connectivity to the RCOM repository.
  • A valid Docker authentication token for pulling container images.
  • Sufficient permissions to create directories and run Docker as a non-root user.

Step 1: Download the Latest RCOM Agent Package​

Use the following commands to download and extract the latest RCOM Agent compose package:

wget -O rcom_agent_compose.zip {{DOWNLOAD_URL}}
unzip rcom_agent_compose.zip -d /home/rcom_agent/

Step 2: Prepare Runtime Environment​

Navigate to the extracted directory:

cd /home/rcom_agent/

Ensure you have the correct permissions to run Docker containers from this directory.

Step 3: Authenticate with Docker Repository​

Log in to the RCOM private container registry:

docker login www.rcom-repository.de \
  -u 'robot$rcom_agent+pull' \
  -p '<Docker Auth Token>'
info

Replace <Docker Auth Token> with the valid token provided to your organization.

Step 4: Configure Environment Variables​

Set the required environment variables before starting the agent. These can be placed in a .env file in /home/rcom_agent/ or passed inline.

Example configuration:

RCOM_HOST_PORT=8091
RCOM_IMAGE_VERSION=2f0dd0b9 //use the latest version
  • RCOM_HOST_PORT – Defines the local port where the agent services will be exposed.
  • RCOM_IMAGE_VERSION – Specifies the image version tag to be deployed.

Step 5: Start the RCOM Agent Services​

Use Docker Compose to launch the agent environment:

docker compose up -d

This will pull the required images (if not already available locally) and start the RCOM Agent container(s).

Final Notes​

  • The RCOM Agent environment is now ready. You can install and configure individual agents (e.g., for RFID, barcode, sensor integration) within this environment.
  • Ensure that the RCOM_IMAGE_VERSION you set matches the version recommended for your deployment.
  • If deploying in production, secure the environment by limiting access to the host port and configuring firewall rules.
  • For upgrades, always back up the installation directory before applying a new package.