Contents
Overview
An end to end IoT solution consists of:
- IoT Application platform which is the user interface – it displays the data, sends notifications, and allows control and automation work flows to be implemented.
- IoT Core Platform, which processes, stores and passes the data to it’s destination.
- The Network, including gateways and Network Servers
- End Devices (Sensors & Controllers)
The solution will also include several management platforms to manage the networks, sensors, users, etc.
Other critical components of any IoT solution are IoT Security and IoT Connectivity which are also covered below.
Most end users of IoT are only interested in the devices and the IoT application.
However, it is useful to have an understanding of the end to end system, which is the aim of this section.
The term ‘IoT Platform’ can mean many things. For a brief explanation, follow the link below:
What is an IoT Platform?
The term ‘IoT platform’ is a fairly nebulous term which causes a lot of confusion as it means different things to different people.
It is any part of the IoT system that provides a service, and is often used to mean:
- An IoT Application platform
- An IoT Core platform
- A Management Platform
The application platform can include a core platform – or it can run alongside a core platform.
For instance, PTC’s Thingworx can run independently on your own servers or it can run alongside the Microsoft Azure or AWS Core platforms.
Also, the management platforms are often integrated in to the application platforms or in to the networks.
Let’s dive in and understand each of the platform types in more detail.
IoT Application
The IoT Application is what the user sees and uses every day. It displays information received from sensors, and may also allow control (either manual or automated) of the end devices.
It generally consists of:
- Dashboards
- Alarms & Notifications
- Analytics
- Control & Automation
- Integrations
- System Admin
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IoT Core Platform
The IoT Core Platform is where the routing, processing and management of data happens. The core platform can also provide many other services to the application platform – e.g. analytics, and data storage. The term Big Data usually refers to the large scale processing of IoT Data within the core platform.
The ‘Big 3’ core platforms are AWS IoT Core, Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, and Google Cloud IoT Core.
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IoT Application Data
The essence of IoT is Data. The End Devices, the cloud platforms and the mobile apps are simply ways of extracting, displaying and using the data.
Data from the sensors is passed between the sensors and the core platform using message protocols such as MQTT, or CoAP.
The stream of data is generally handled by a message broker in the core, before being passed to the application.
If you want to know more, click the button below.
IoT Networks, Protocols & Technologies
An IoT network is a communications network that transfers data between the end devices to the core platform. The data is transferred using network protocols & technology, and every type of network excels in different circumstances.
There are many different types of networks and technologies, and this section includes an overview and technology deep-dives.
As with all aspects of IoT, it’s very important to match the network to your use case and environment.
Key features to consider in any network are:
- Range (distance between your sensor and the edge of the network)
- Power (Battery life)
- Bandwidth & Data rate
IoT technologies are designed to trade these features against each other, with each technology having more emphasis on one than another.
For instance LPWAN technologies (LoRaWAN, NB-IOT, LTE-M, and SigFox) focus on extended range and longevity of battery life. Cellular technologies such as 4G and 5G, and some short range technologies (eg. WiFi) focus heavily on data rate.
For an understanding of IoT Networks, Protocols and Technologies, click below..
IoT Security
Overview
IoT security is the act of securing Internet of Things devices and the networks they’re connected to. Security is one of the biggest challenges facing the IoT industry. It is critically important that the security of your implementation is fit for purpose.
Security is one of the most complex areas on IoT and it’s often a major factor in delayed or failed implementations.
To avoid this, it’s important that customers have a good understanding of the security requirements of their system and can assess how products meet these criteria.
It’s also important that suppliers understand the security requirements of their markets, and ensure that their products are secure by design.
For an explanation of IoT security, starting with the basics, click here…
IoT Connectivity
IoT connectivity technologies fall broadly into two groups—cellular-based and unlicensed LPWAN (low-power wide-area network). Cellular IoT technologies operate in the licensed spectrum, which ensures reliability through relatively consistent and standardized infrastructure.
With non-cellular LPWAN, no SIM is required, whereas all types of Cellular IoT require a SIM – either a traditional SIM card, an eSIM or an iSIM.
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End Devices
Everything that has been discussed so far (application platforms, servers, networks, etc) existed well before the Internet of Things revolution began. And it was possible to connect ‘things’ to the internet. The problem was that connecting them was expensive and cumbersome to install, operate and maintain. Consider using connecting a smartphone to every soil sensor in a field…
The driving force behind IoT is therefore end devices. They are now low cost to purchase, install and operate.
The range is often exceptional, and the battery life is measured in years.
To understand the key features for your device, click the button below…
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