Most IIoT platforms assume a cloud connection. CollatrEdge assumes nothing.
Three operating modes. Connected: full cloud link, real-time data forwarding, remote management. Local network: data stays on the factory LAN, accessible via the web UI, exportable as CSV. Standalone: the device talks to equipment and stores data. That is it. No network egress at all.
The network policy is enforced at startup. Not at runtime, where a misconfiguration might silently leak data. The agent checks every output against the policy, reports conflicts, and refuses to start if the configuration violates the mode.
Local network is the most common mode for UK SME manufacturers. Their data does not leave the building. They query it from a browser on the shop floor. They export it for their Monday morning meeting. That is the real use case. Not a degraded version of the cloud product.
Standalone mode exists because some sites have no network at all. Just a device, a PLC, and a USB stick for data extraction.
All three are in the code today. Tested. Reviewed. Working.