Platform Overview
What Is Zipato?
Zipato is a modular IoT platform for connecting, managing and operating devices, spaces and distributed systems.
It provides a common foundation for device connectivity, local and cloud-based processing, automation, monitoring, application development and integration with external systems. Rather than offering a narrow, purpose-built product, Zipato is designed to serve as the underlying platform layer on top of which complete IoT solutions can be assembled and operated.
The platform is designed for solutions in which different types of physical devices, communication protocols, operational workflows and user applications need to work together as a unified system. This means that a single deployment can include sensors, smart locks, thermostats, cameras and meters from different manufacturers, using different communication protocols, all managed through one consistent interface.
Zipato can be used as:
- a connected-spaces platform for residential, commercial and hospitality environments;
- an IoT foundation for OEM device manufacturers;
- an operational platform for managing distributed device fleets;
- an integration layer for applications, external systems and AI agents.
What the Platform Provides
Zipato combines several layers that are typically implemented as separate systems:
- connectivity with physical devices and external systems;
- protocol abstraction and device normalization;
- local and cloud runtime environments;
- fleet management and remote device operations;
- automation and rules execution;
- application-level capabilities such as security, environmental control and video;
- APIs and integration mechanisms;
- end-user, administrative and AI-assisted applications.
Providing these layers together means that solution providers do not need to source, integrate and maintain a separate connectivity stack, a separate automation engine, a separate fleet management system and a separate application framework. The objective is to allow solution providers to build complete IoT products and operational applications without developing every layer from scratch, and without spending the majority of project time on integration work between disparate components.
Platform Structure
The platform is organized into four main areas. Each area has a defined responsibility, and together they cover the full lifecycle of an IoT solution — from physical device to user interaction.
Core Platform
The Core Platform provides the technical foundation required to connect, normalize, control and operate devices at scale. It is responsible for everything that must happen before any business logic or domain-specific application can be built: establishing communication, interpreting device data in a consistent way, managing state and providing the infrastructure services that everything else depends on.
It includes:
- device and resource models;
- communication protocols and protocol adapters;
- local and cloud runtime environments;
- device normalization;
- device control;
- messaging and event processing;
- fleet management;
- firmware updates;
- data storage;
- logging and observability;
- security foundations;
- multitenancy and realm management.
Learn more about the Core Platform
Application Capabilities
Application Capabilities provide reusable domain logic that can be used by applications and workflows. Where the Core Platform is concerned with device communication and infrastructure, Application Capabilities address specific functional domains such as physical security, environmental control or video monitoring.
A Capability is not a standalone product. It is a module that operates on top of the Core Platform, using its device model, event stream and control mechanisms to deliver domain-specific behaviour that multiple applications or customers can share.
Examples include:
- security and alarm management;
- partitions, zones and notifications;
- thermostat and environmental control;
- HVAC modes, schedules and configurations;
- video management;
- access control;
- monitoring and alerting.
These capabilities are built on top of the Core Platform and can be combined into different industry solutions.
Explore Application Capabilities
Integrations
The Integration Layer allows external systems, partner applications and AI agents to interact with the platform. It defines the interfaces through which data can be read, commands can be issued and workflows can be triggered from outside the platform boundary.
This includes conventional API access for application developers as well as newer AI-oriented integration patterns such as MCP servers and agent-to-agent protocols, which allow AI agents to interact with platform data and operations in a structured way.
It includes:
- REST APIs;
- Swagger-based API reference;
- authentication and authorization;
- MCP servers;
- AI skills;
- agent-to-agent integration;
- integration patterns and workflow examples.
Applications
Applications provide user-facing and administrative interfaces built on top of the platform. They represent the layer that end users, system administrators and operators interact with directly. Applications consume Core Platform services, Application Capabilities and Integration APIs to deliver complete experiences for specific roles and industries.
Examples include:
- mobile applications for end users;
- web administration tools;
- rule and workflow editors;
- AI copilots;
- vertical applications for specific industries.
Architecture at a Glance
Zipato uses a modular architecture in which device connectivity, runtime execution, cloud services, application capabilities and user-facing applications are clearly separated but tightly integrated. Each layer communicates with adjacent layers through defined interfaces, which means individual components can be replaced, extended or scaled independently without restructuring the entire system.
The platform can process data and execute logic both locally and in the cloud, depending on the type of deployment and the requirements of the solution. This dual-runtime model allows Zipato to serve use cases that require low latency and offline resilience alongside use cases that benefit from centralized processing and cloud-scale resources.
The detailed architecture is described using C4 diagrams:
- System Context Diagram
- Container Diagram
- additional component-level diagrams where required.
Device Connectivity and Runtime Models
Zipato supports different ways of connecting local devices and executing runtime logic. The choice of model affects where protocol communication is handled, where automation rules run and how much the solution depends on a continuous cloud connection.
In some deployments, a local server application runs protocol adapters, messaging, rules and application logic directly at the edge. This model gives the greatest degree of local independence and is suited to environments where network reliability or latency is a concern.
In other deployments, a lightweight local hub forwards device communication to a virtual runtime environment operating in the cloud. The hub handles the physical protocol layer while the cloud manages the logic. This model reduces the hardware requirements at the installation site.
Hybrid models are also possible, where some logic runs locally and other logic runs in the cloud, depending on the function.
Typical runtime models include:
- local server runtime;
- lightweight hub with cloud runtime;
- hybrid runtime.
The selected model depends on latency, resilience, hardware, connectivity and operational requirements.
Learn more about Device Connectivity and Runtime Models
Platform Deployment Models
The entire Zipato platform can also be deployed in different infrastructure environments. This is a separate consideration from the device connectivity model: it concerns where the Zipato server infrastructure runs, not where device communication is handled.
Typical deployment models include:
- Public Cloud — a customer realm is created within the shared Zipato cloud infrastructure;
- Private Cloud — a dedicated platform instance is deployed in the customer's cloud environment;
- Hosted or On-Premise Deployment — the platform is deployed on infrastructure selected by the customer.
Platform deployment is independent from the device connectivity and runtime model. A private-cloud installation, for example, may support both local server runtimes and lightweight hub deployments. Choosing a deployment model is primarily a decision about data sovereignty, infrastructure control and operational responsibilities.
Learn more about Platform Deployment Models
Platform Characteristics
Several characteristics apply across the entire platform rather than to a single component. They describe qualities of the platform as a whole that influence how it behaves at scale, how it is secured and what additional value it can deliver beyond basic device connectivity.
These include:
- modular architecture;
- flexible edge and cloud processing;
- multitenant realm structure;
- role-based access management;
- security and isolation;
- scalability for distributed device fleets;
- monitoring and observability;
- data forecasting and anomaly detection;
- AI-assisted reporting;
- generation of digital artifacts.
Explore Platform Characteristics
What Can Be Built with Zipato?
Zipato can be used as a foundation for different connected-space and IoT solutions. The platform does not impose a fixed product structure. Instead, it allows different combinations of Core Platform services, Application Capabilities, Integrations and Applications to be assembled for each use case.
Typical examples include:
- multifamily and rental housing;
- smart homes;
- offices and workspace management;
- hospitality;
- retail environments;
- senior-care monitoring;
- OEM connected products;
- energy and facility monitoring.
Each solution combines Core Platform services, Application Capabilities, Integrations and Applications in a different way.
Where to Continue
| Goal | Recommended Section |
|---|---|
| Understand the overall system architecture | Architecture |
| Learn how devices are connected and managed | Core Platform |
| Explore alarm, thermostat, video and other domain logic | Application Capabilities |
| Integrate an external application or AI agent | Integrations |
| Review available user-facing tools | Applications |
| Find a concrete implementation pattern | How-to Guides |
| Look up API methods and technical definitions | Reference |