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Node Trees

Node trees in Beacon Tower provide a hierarchical structure for organizing assets and dashboards. They allow you to create logical groupings that reflect your physical locations, organizational structure, or any other hierarchy that makes sense for your use case.

Definitions​

TermDefinition
NodeA building block of a tree structure that acts as a folder or container for other nodes, assets, and dashboards.
Root NodeThe top-level node that represents the entire tree.
LinkA connection between an item (asset or dashboard) and a node, without moving or copying the item.

Concept​

Trees​

An organization can have any number of trees. Trees can be shared between organizations like all other resources. A tree consists of nodes, which are directly linked to a specific tree, and links to assets and dashboards. Assets and dashboards can be linked to multiple different trees and even different nodes in the same tree.

Trees are not required for most use cases and are simply a way to allow for better organization and analysis of assets.

Nodes​

Nodes are the building blocks of a tree structure. They act as folders or containers that can hold:

  • Other nodes (creating nested hierarchies)
  • Assets (IoT devices and data sources)
  • Dashboards (visualization panels)

The root node is the top-level node that represents the entire tree.

Linking​

Assets and dashboards are connected to trees through links rather than being moved or copied. This means:

  • An asset can be linked to multiple nodes in the same tree
  • An asset can be linked to nodes in different trees
  • A dashboard can be linked to any number of nodes or assets
  • Unlinking removes only the connection, not the asset or dashboard itself

Dashboard and Analytics Aggregation​

Dashboards in trees aggregate data below them in the node hierarchy. This means a node at the top can display data from all assets on or below it. You can use trees to drill down into data. For example, setting up nodes to represent geography allows you to drill down from everything at the top node down to smaller and smaller regions or locations.

Use Cases​

Drill Down Analytics​

Setting up a node structure with a regional or organizational hierarchy allows you to drill down into your assets, viewing all assets at the top node and then drilling down into the structure.

Structuring Your Assets​

Small trees can help create a visual representation of device locations. For example, creating nodes for locations or factories and placing the relevant assets under each.

Best Practices​

  • Mirror physical structure: Organize trees to reflect real-world locations (buildings, floors, rooms)
  • Keep trees focused: Create separate trees for different purposes rather than one massive tree
  • Use meaningful names: Give nodes clear, descriptive names that users will understand
  • Link dashboards strategically: Place dashboards at the level where they provide the most relevant overview
  • Evaluate business value of trees: Do not create trees just for the sake of it, as they add administration overhead to keep updated

Workflows​

Creating a Node Tree​

  1. Navigate to Administration > Node Trees
  2. Click the Add button (+ icon)
  3. Enter a Display Name for the tree
  4. Select the Organization that will own the tree
  5. Click Save

The new tree is created with a single root node. You are redirected to the tree editor to start building the structure.

Adding Nodes to a Tree​

  1. Open the tree in the editor
  2. Select the parent node where you want to add a child
  3. Click New Node
  4. Enter the Display Name for the new node
  5. Click Save

The node is created immediately under the selected parent.

Linking an Asset to a Tree​

  1. Open the tree in the editor
  2. Select the node where you want the asset to appear
  3. Go to the Link Asset tab
  4. Use the filter to find the asset
  5. Click the Link button next to the asset

The asset now appears under the selected node in the tree.

Linking a Dashboard to a Tree​

  1. Open the tree in the editor
  2. Select the node or asset where you want the dashboard
  3. Go to the Link Dashboard tab
  4. Use the filter to find the dashboard
  5. Click the Link button next to the dashboard

The dashboard is now accessible from the selected location.

Unlinking Items from a Tree​

  1. Open the tree in the editor
  2. Select the asset or dashboard you want to unlink
  3. Click the Unlink button

The item is removed from the tree but not deleted. It remains available to link elsewhere.

Deleting a Node​

  1. Open the tree in the editor
  2. Select the node you want to delete
  3. Ensure the node has no children (nodes, assets, or dashboards)
  4. Click the Delete button
  5. Confirm the deletion

Note: You cannot delete a node that has children. Unlink or delete all children first.