Why do we need the Internet of Things platform?
Have you ever thought of why we need IoT platforms? Well, for us to provide, handle and automate many gadgets that are linked together through the IoT, we need to use the IoT! IoT ensures all your hardware is linked up together and is running well without any problem.
Are you a developer or know of one? If so, for developers, IoT platforms always offer them several ready-to-use functions which aid them in speeding up the building of applications meant for all the linked devices and ensure that all of them are scalable and also compatible.
Many always define or even perceive IoT platforms as a middleware that brings together many devices that are far apart through the user application and even goes further merging the hardware and application layers together.
How does it help IoT Projects?
How do IoT platforms help in handling IoT Projects? Well, just as you may know, an IoT platform operates in the form of middleware. In other words, it’s the mediator that brings together the hardware and the application layers to make them one.
One of its key roles is the gathering of information or data found in many devices that are running all kinds of network protocols, managing linked devices, remote management of linked devices and configuration, and also network topologies.
Recent platforms go a mile further in integrating the system by providing important functions in both the supported hardware and application layers.
They also offer frontend and analytics on the devices that process data, and even those handling cloud computing operations. Some of them are even capable of performing end-to-end IoT solutions implementations from scratch.
Advanced IoT Platforms
There are several aspects that differentiate all kinds of IoT platforms that you may know of. Some of these aspects include:
· Code control
· Ease of use
· Integration with 3rd party applications
· Deployment options
· Scalability
· Customizability
· Data security levels
In this article, we will discuss only three aspects, which are: secure, customizable, and scalable.
· Secure –data security comprises lots of things such as flexible deployment, intensive identity management, and even encryption. All these include end-to-end data encryption including data at rest, user access rights management, device authentication and also private cloud infrastructure for data that are deemed sensitive.
· Scalable (cloud-native) –complex or advanced IoT platforms always ensure that the scalability is elastic and caters to all the requirements of the client.
· Customizable – this is very important when speed is needed. This is again the same as the merging of the APIs, source code transparency, and also the loose coupling of the platform’s aspects. If you’re running a small scale that hinders IoT solutions, some light-perfect APIs are all good to work in this case. For complex feature-rich IoT systems, it always needs tons of time and dedication, and the programmers to preside over the entire system.
What your business can do with IoT Platforms
How can IoT platforms positively influence your business? Well, the first individuals that benefit from the use of these platforms are the tech firms and startups.
The tech firms use these platforms to equip all the products they sell with remote control and even real-time surveillance operations, configurable alerts, and notifications, and active cloud operations with their clients’ computers and phones.
A business that relies on vehicle tracking, delivery services and even agricultural sectors mainly rely on the remote monitoring of the vehicles dispatched, upgrades and maintenance of the parts, and also ensuring the safety of the goods through advanced tracking.
IoT platform technology is also primary in improving customer satisfaction in sectors such as retail, traveling domains, and also in health care. It’s needed to come up with extremely personalized services, and also to allow easy collaboration between the company and all its clients.
For health-based services, it also makes remote surveillance of patients easier as compared to the numerous on and off visits to the hospital that may appear to be very daunting.