Definition and Selection of IoT Platforms
Creating and refining the most suitable Internet of Things (IoT) platforms is a significant task for IT leaders this year. However, launching such projects may be at risk due to existing uncertainties in this field. The situation is complicated by the numerous options available in the IoT platform market, from which clients have to choose among more than 150 options, as noted by Eric Lamar and Brett May.
Complexity of IoT Platforms
IoT has a significant number of components, making it more complex compared to conventional application platforms. New IoT platforms should have their own underlying technology and support various components.
Key Elements of Successful IoT Platforms
With high demands and wide applications, it is essential that all well-designed IoT platforms have:
- A mixed application architecture.
- A blend of off-the-shelf products and customized solutions.
Lamar and May emphasize the importance of having one or more applications for different purposes, similar to iPhone apps for financial data or weather forecasts. However, custom applications hold significant importance, as platform providers may not understand the specifics of your business as well as you do.
Application Containerization
One of the important aspects is ensuring that the development environment supports application containerization using shared services, allowing them to be moved across different platforms. It is also vital to integrate platforms with large software packages, such as ERP or CRM.
Data Processing and Reception
A major advantage of IoT platforms is their data processing capability. This feature is critically important, as data is the "fuel" for IoT.
Choosing a Cloud Provider
The choice of hosting with cloud infrastructure must be carefully considered. Those using smaller IoT solutions often choose a single or limited set of cloud providers. "Make sure your IoT platform provider is compatible with your corporate cloud strategy," experts emphasize.
Data Security and Sovereignty
Equally important is the issue of data security. They must be protected and remain sovereign, as in the future they may be transferred and stored in various parts of the world. It is important to know where exactly this data is stored and processed.
Edge Data Processing
IoT platforms can use a centralized star topology model or support analytical processing at the edge, reducing latency. "Often, the cost of transferring data to cloud services is burdensome, and moving terabytes of data from remote locations can be completely impossible," note McKinsey experts.