# 5. Communications

### 5.1 Websites

#### 5.1.1 Balena

Balena is an Internet of Things (IoT) deployment and device management platform. Voltera uses Balena to remotely deploy updates to NOVA’s software and firmware. The operating system on the Nano module is read-only.

#### 5.1.2 Google Firebase

Google Firebase is a mobile and web application development platform. NOVA uses its Authentication and Cloud Firestore services for user management, user data, and analytics systems.

#### 5.1.3 myvoltera.io

<https://www.myvoltera.io> is used to initially setup NOVA and connect it to the network.

### 5.2 Ports

<table><thead><tr><th width="116">Port</th><th width="208">Service(s)</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>53</td><td>Balena</td><td>DNS: used by devices to resolve Balena hostnames for connection to the Balena service</td></tr><tr><td>123</td><td>Balena</td><td>NTP: used by devices to synchronize time</td></tr><tr><td>443</td><td>Balena</td><td>HTTPS: used by devices to poll Balena for updates and to download releases and host OS updates</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>OpenVPN</td><td>Used by devices to connect to Balena to provide real-status, control, and an interactive terminal</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>www.myvoltera.io</td><td>Used by devices to communicate with user's computer for online operation</td></tr><tr><td>3080</td><td>Google Firebase</td><td>Cloud Firestore</td></tr><tr><td>9099</td><td>Google Firebase</td><td>Authentication</td></tr><tr><td>80</td><td>connect.myvoltera.io</td><td>Used by devices to communicate with user's computer for offline operation</td></tr></tbody></table>

### 5.3 Traffic

NOVA requests software updates if they are available and network information once every hour if it is sitting idle. During operation, NOVA sends the data detailed in section 7.0 to Voltera for product improvement.


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