As someone who lives and breathes mobile, one topic gaining momentum in my client conversations is the Internet of Things (IoT).
There is great buzz about this trend, but also much confusion – specifically focused on what it is and what it means to a business. From a consumer perspective it’s fairly easy to understand. You’ve probably seen those advertisements on television about connected cars or a person using their smartphone or tablet to adjust the temperature in their house while they are commuting home from the office.
That’s the Internet of Things. But it’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
The possibilities of IoT extend way beyond the consumer. Take a hospital as an example. With this technology, a hospital’s staff can access equipment such as a patient’s pacemaker remotely and then closely monitor their when they are at home. A factory can use this same technology to automatically address production line issues, pinpointing the precise area of concern and quickly removing any obstacles to ensure output returns at acceptable levels. Even hotels can join the fun, using it to adjust room temperature and lighting according to a guest’s preferences.
The list of possibilities are endless and there is little doubt that this technology will impact just about all industries, from waste management and urban planning to environmental sensing and event management and many others we have not yet even imagined.
The surge of IoT is being driven by several key elements such as smaller and cheaper sensors that are powered by long-lasting batteries, faster and cheaper networks, the emergence of IoT programming environments that tap into the creativity of consumers and enterprise users, as well as a proliferation of cloud services that make computing resources and storage more accessible and affordable.
So how do we develop new solutions related to the internet of things to help clients? Like many new innovations, taking the first step seems daunting. Some of the areas that organizations should examine include:
• Strategizing on how to best make use of IoT in your business
• Preparing and upgrading infrastructure
• Tapping into needed skills and talent
• Enhancing existing business processes or developing new ones
Of course, as with anything new, there will be challenges along the way. IoT will certainly disrupt traditional business processes and, in doing so, will impose new technology requirements around areas such as security. The always on, always connected characteristics of these devices stretches out a company’s defenses and in doing so makes them perfect targets for attackers looking to break in. As a result, security must span the entire infrastructure to assure the safety of individual devices that comprise an IoT network and the entire network itself.
Another challenge will be managing and mining the data. The digital universe is set to expand to 6 trillion terabytes of data this year. At a time when many feel that we are already drowning in data, IoT will up the stakes, taxing our already complex enterprise information management systems. Massive data volumes will specifically pose challenges associated with data collection, processing, storage, management and manipulation. At the center of it all will be advanced analytics. Businesses will need to use analytics to garner meaningful insights from the data that connected devices generate by capturing it from the cloud, analyzing each piece and then responding accordingly.
The impact of IoT has on your business, your customers, partners and other stakeholder will be significant. It’s not the stuff of futuristic fantasies but rather a transformational force that is changing the way corporations and consumers interact with each other and their environment here and now.
Now is the time to start this journey.
