> Some PC somewhere with storage is a bigger problem

Both an embedded microcontroller and a PC have storage. The reason you can power-cycle a microcontroller at will is because that storage is read-only and only a specific portion dedicated to state is writable (and the device can be reset if that ever gets corrupted).

Use a buildroot/yocto image on the PC with read-only partitions and a separate state partition that the system can rebuild on boot if it gets corrupted and you'll have something that can be power-cycled with no issues. Network hardware is internally often Linux-based and manages to do fine for exactly this reason.

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lazide 2 hours ago | parent [-]

PCs are orders of magnitude more complex, with a lot more to break. Sounds like a whole lot of work for… what?

Assuming the internet connection and AWS work of course. Which they won’t always, then oops.

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bluGill 23 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

A large number of embedded micro controllers are just PCs running Yocto linux configured as GP said. You can save money with a $.05 micro controller, but in most cases the development costs to make that entire system work are more than just buying an off the shelf raspberry pi.

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Nextgrid 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

If you're relying on AWS you either way have a "PC" to relay communication between AWS and the keycard readers & door latches.

	▲	lazide an hour ago \| parent [-]
		There are IoT libraries that don’t require that.