Foundational Elements of an IoT Solution

Chapter 1. Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) has a rich technological legacy and a bright future: ubiquitous connectivity has created a new paradigm, and the closed, static, and bounded systems of the past will soon be obsolete. With the connection of low-cost sensors to cloud platforms, it’s now possible to track, analyze, and respond to operational data at scale. The promise of the IoT is indeed wonderful: intelligent systems made up of smart machines that talk with each other and with people in real time, and data analytics driving optimization and transformation in industries as varied and far-reaching as aeronautics and agriculture, transportation and municipal services, manufacturing and healthcare, and even within our homes.

Building the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things presents exciting opportunities to transform business, but the specific approaches and patterns remain somewhat ill-defined. So, maybe it’s not entirely surprising that the recent tidal wave of marketing hype has engendered some well-deserved skepticism about the IoT’s true business and social value. Questions about security and fears that such wide-ranging connectedness will make privacy all but extinct are commonplace. These are legitimate issues that are being addressed, and will require continuing maturity of both the business and technology factors if the IoT is to achieve long-term, broad-based success.

Regardless, it’s clear that, in order to take on the challenges of design for ...