The IoT platform facilitates scalable deployment of IoT sensors by providing a platform for securely managing and analyzing their IoT devices and data. Important capabilities of an IoT platform include data management, analytics, application development, interoperability, device management, and security.
What is an IoT platform?
The IoT platform is a middleware that integrates applications and hardware while providing a data analysis environment. These platforms transfer data between two IoT layers: hardware and applications. They transmit data from various hardware to the cloud while transmitting commands from applications to the hardware.
What are the components of an IoT platform?
To understand an IoT platform, businesses should understand the components of an IoT system. Although each IoT platform has its own unique features and mechanisms, a complete IoT platform has four distinct components:
IoT devices collect various data from the environment (sound, video, image or vibration, heat, etc.). Some IoT devices also interact with their environment rather than just collecting data.
Network connectivity solutions enable devices to communicate with each other or receive commands from the cloud while transmitting data to the cloud.
Data processing software performs data analysis at the edge or on-premises. Based on the results of the analysis, organizations can make data-driven decisions.
Control and management software provides a user interface that allows users to interact with IoT systems when needed. The most common use of the user interface layer is to remotely control the device and visualize the analysis results.
Why are IoT platforms important?
According to a Cisco survey, 75% of IoT projects fail. IoT platforms can help businesses succeed by reducing development time, speeding time to market, making applications scalable, reducing costs, and avoiding technical errors.
An IoT platform simplifies the development process as it solves many of the problems and complexities that businesses encounter when building IoT applications. Using a platform allows businesses to focus on solutions without having to involve them in building the infrastructure to support IoT applications.
As the number of sensors and devices increases, so does the data collected and the complexity of IoT projects. The IoT platform can help enterprises integrate various devices and manage large amounts of IoT data.
What are the advantages of IoT platforms?
Faster deployment: An IoT platform is a technology stack that simplifies the development process of IoT systems by providing various built-in tools. It facilitates data collection and transmission, device management, and application development in IoT systems.
Many IoT platforms allow you to quickly build a proof-of-concept prototype in a matter of weeks—no more months. Getting your prototype into the hands of your target users as quickly as possible allows you to quickly demonstrate your project and capitalize on customer feedback early on.
Reduced IoT system development costs: By relying on off-the-shelf IoT platforms, enterprises can make a trade-off between investment and operating costs. IoT platforms reduce the development and testing costs of IoT systems. However, relying on third-party platform providers will require companies to pay long-term subscription or licensing fees.
What are the important functions of an IoT platform?
Application Development: Users can develop and deploy devices and applications that are compatible with the IoT platform.
Managing data: As the number of sensors and devices increases, so does the data collected and the complexity of IoT projects. IoT platforms help businesses manage large amounts of data.
Analytics: IoT platforms can have analytics capabilities such as rules engines, event stream processing, machine learning, and data visualization. It can enable analysis of data at the edge or in the cloud to generate actionable insights.
Interoperability and integration: The platform can provide communication with different types of devices (sensors, cameras, wearables, etc.) so that their data can be properly transferred to the cloud.
Device Management: IoT platforms enable users to track, monitor and manage IoT devices. Effective device management is critical to the connectivity and security of IoT devices.
Security: Organizations can rely on the capabilities of IoT platforms to keep data secure.
