Computer-implemented methods for management of data collection devices. Aspects include creating a cluster of data collection devices and a distributed meta-key manager for the cluster and providing an authentication key for each data collection device to access the distributed meta-key manager. Aspects also include collecting and storing data by one or more of the data collection devices and periodically perform a quorum check for each data collection device of the cluster. Aspects further include updating an operational mode of each data collection device based on the quorum check and offloading the stored data from a data collection device based on successful verification of the stored data and the operational mode of the data collection device.