https://www.iotworldtoday.com/wp-content/themes/ioti_child/assets/images/logo/IoTWorldToday-mobile-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
    • Back
    • Roundups
  • Strategy
  • Special Reports
  • Business Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Industry Perspectives
    • Featured Vendors
  • Other Content
    • Back
    • Q&As
    • Case Studies
    • Features
    • How-to
    • Opinion
    • Podcasts
    • Strategic Partners
    • Latest videos
  • More
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Submissions
  • Events
Iot World Today
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
    • Back
    • Roundups
  • Strategy
  • Special Reports
  • Business Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Industry Perspectives
    • Featured Vendors
  • Other Content
    • Back
    • Q&As
    • Case Studies
    • Features
    • How-to
    • Opinion
    • Podcasts
    • Strategic Partners
    • Latest videos
  • More
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Submissions
  • Events
  • newsletter
  • IIoT
  • Cities
  • Energy
  • Homes/Buildings
  • Transportation/Logistics
  • Connected Health Care
  • Retail
  • AI
  • Metaverse
  • Development
  • Security
ioti.com

Embedded Computing


IoT platforms

Choosing an IoT System? Ask These 8 Questions to Platform Providers

This article offers some tips on how to choose an IoT platform technology to speed and improve the creation of your connected products.
  • Written by Adrian Caceres
  • 26th September 2016

The Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t new technology, but rather the application of well-known technologies to new situations and use cases. For that reason, it would be easy to assume that creating a connected product isn’t so difficult. That assumption would be very, very wrong.

The IoT is actually a system of systems connected by networks. IoT implementations require sophisticated coordination of communications and operation across all of those systems: sensor-enabled connected products, various clouds and networks, and the mobile or web applications used to control the connected products or monitor their performance. What’s more, IoT products themselves typically lack anything approximating the compute, memory, or storage capabilities of the computers and mobile devices currently connected to the Internet.

Because of these challenges, manufacturers designing and building products for the IoT are almost always best served by working with a comprehensive IoT platform. The right IoT platform technology will be specialized to handle the functionality needed by any IoT product, freeing manufacturers to focus on their core competences and building the best connected versions of their offerings.

Ask the Right Questions

Finding the answers to a few key questions can help you choose IoT platform technology to speed and improve the creation of your connected products. Here are some questions to consider—and what to look for in the answers:

Question #1: What’s your IoT security strategy?

Not surprisingly, security tops nearly everyone’s list of major IoT concerns. IoT platform technology must have enterprise-grade security baked into the full IoT spectrum, from connected product to cloud to mobile or web app. Listen for end-to-end, integrated, standards-based technology encompassing:

• AAA security (Authentication. Authorization, Accounting)

• Device-to-cloud network security

• User app-to-wireless network security

• Cloud security

• Device security, including authentication and up-to-date certificates

• Application authentication

• Data encryption

• Data protection at rest, in transit, and in the cloud

• Secure session initiation

• Concrete plans for updating security, including via over-the-air (OTA) communications

Question #2: How do you handle mobile/web application development?

Too many manufacturers leave application development for the end of their IoT process, which is a big mistake. Because the mobile or web app is the driver of the IoT product’s user experience, it will be how customers judge the success or failure of connected products.

IoT platform providers needn’t be full-scale mobile-app developers, too, but ideally an IoT platform will include tools for speeding and integrating application development with the rest of the IoT technology. It will also have an ecosystem of dedicated application developers that can do the final customization and personalization of your control applications.

In addition, look for IoT platform providers that offer role-based access-control (RBAC) capabilities. This allows connected products to be controlled differently based on an individual’s “role”—within an organization or a household—or based on conditions such as time or location.

Question #3: How flexible is your IoT platform with respect to future unknowns?

Technology in general, and the IoT in particular, hurtles ahead at a breakneck pace. Outpacing obsolescence presents a constant challenge.

IoT platforms must be built with flexibility and future-proofing in mind. No matter what features, protocols, or new technologies emerge or are required in the future, an IoT platform should ensure that your connected products don’t get stuck in technology dead-ends.

An agile IoT platform will be built upon open standards—and its provider will have a proven commitment to keep pace with IoT technologies, protocols, and standards as they morph and evolve.

Question #4: What happens when we want to drastically increase our number of connected products?

Implementing a handful of connected products is challenging enough. When the number of connected products scales to the many thousands or millions—headed toward industry predictions of billions of IoT devices in the next five years or so—the situation gets far more complex.

Scalability in the IoT means the ability to scale not only in the number of devices, but at the cloud, software-application, data, security, reliability, latency, user-experience, and even the support levels.

Head over to our sister publication Electronic Design to read the rest of this article

Tags: Article Embedded Computing Technologies

Related Content


  • Chinese Researchers Develop Mind-Controllable Metasurface
    Bluetooth-enabled sensor uses brainwaves to control scattering patterns on programmable metasurface
  • Image shows National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) deputy director for innovation Simon Plant at Quantum Summit 2022
    Quantum Summit 2022: U.K. National Quantum Computing Centre Update
    The facility is dedicated to researching and developing quantum computing in the U.K. and around the world
  • Omdia chief quantum computing analyst Sam Lucero
    Quantum Summit 2022: Where is Quantum Computing Now?
    The industry is on a multi-year path to achieving quantum advantage over classical computers
  • Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng
    Quantum Summit 2022: UK Government Invests in Quantum Computing
    Investment in U.K. quantum technologies program expected to pass $1.2 billion by 2024

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your IoT World Today account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest News

  • IoT Bug Monitoring System IDs Forest Threats
  • Firefly-Inspired Robots Enable Motion Tracking, Communication
  • Digital Pets Company
    Lonely in the Metaverse? Breed and Train Your AI-Driven Virtual Dog
  • Musk Offers to Buy Twitter for $43B

Roundups

View all

IoT Product Roundup: Canonical, InfluxData, Wiliot and More

23rd June 2022

IoT Product Roundup: Cisco, Telit, Draganfly and More

9th June 2022

IoT Deals, Partnerships Roundup: Google, Arm, Senet and More

26th May 2022

White Papers

View all

The Role of Manufacturing Technology in Continuous Improvement Ebook

6th April 2022

IIoT Platform Trends for Manufacturing in 2022

6th April 2022

Latest Videos

View all
Image shows Unilever's Alberto Prado at AI Summit 2022 in London

AI Summit 2022: Unilever’s Alberto Prado

Prado talks about how Unilever is using AI to accelerate the speed of new discoveries and gives them access to more breakthrough innovation

Image Shows John Lewis' Barry Panai at AI Summit London 2022

AI Summit 2022: John Lewis’ Barry Panayi on AI in Retail

Panayi talks about data and AI in retail and how individuals and the technology can work together

E-books

View all

How Remote Access Helps Enterprises Improve IT Service and Employee Satisfaction

12th January 2022

An Integrated Approach to IoT Security

6th November 2020

Webinars

View all

Rethinking the Database in the IoT Era

18th May 2022

Jumpstarting Industrial IoT solutions with an edge data management platform

12th May 2022

AI led Digital Transformation of Manufacturing: Time is NOW

9th December 2021

Special Reports

View all

Omdia’s Smart Home Market Dynamics Report

7th January 2022

Cybersecurity Protection Increasingly Depends on Machine Learning

28th October 2020

IoT Security Best Practices for Industry and Enterprise

20th October 2020

Twitter

IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

IoT Product Roundup: Nokia, Energous, Dashbot and more dlvr.it/STRKDh https://t.co/YgTAI5SXSB

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

A new #IoT bug monitoring system from @CENSIS121 is helping the UK’s #forestry industry fight pests, and save money… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

NHTSA Boss Hints at Federally Regulating Autonomous Vehicles dlvr.it/STQrrw https://t.co/Yjp1UKuaE5

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

Nvidia Powered Driverless Three-Wheelers Set to Debut dlvr.it/STQq0H https://t.co/RrYyVPgFzB

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

New Drone System Aims for Full Autonomy dlvr.it/STQnvV https://t.co/S4O8hb6gQh

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

Bosch, VW Approved to Develop Automated Driving dlvr.it/STQllD https://t.co/neI30dVmC6

6th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

🤔 Looking for 3 Strategies to Avoid IoT Key Theft? We’ve got you covered! As tech companies continue to develop an… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

5th July 2022
IoTWorldToday, IoTWorldSeries

AI Summit 2022: Unilever’s Alberto Prado dlvr.it/STMpRN https://t.co/1dyLREr8N6

5th July 2022

Newsletter

Sign up for IoT World Today newsletters: vertical industry coverage on Tuesdays and horizontal tech coverage on Thursdays.

Special Reports

Our Special Reports take an in-depth look at key topics within the IoT space. Download our latest reports.

Business Resources

Find the latest white papers and other resources from selected vendors.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IoT World Series
  • Channel Futures
  • RISC-V
  • Dark Reading
  • ITPro Today
  • Web Hosting Talk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Login/Register

FOLLOW IoT World Today ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X