I had a chat with a journalist this morning about IoT and the opportunities for IT service providers. The whole concept of the “Internet of Things” seems to be quite nebulous. We know that the potential for real-time information gathering is there, but how we apply that to process optimisation and new product and service development still depends on the individual business case.
Where do suppliers fit in? Well there is an entire value chain consisting of:
- Sensors
- Wireless networks
- Gateways and routers
- Wired network infrastructure
- Device monitoring & management
- Data collection (storage)
- Data processing (big data)
- Actionable information (analytics)
Oh, and what is the definition of IoT? I like to think it is Internet-enabling devices which traditionally haven’ t been networked. Devices have been connected to the Internet for decades, but “things” could be anything from fuel gauges to fertiliser dispensers.
See Stuart Corner’s IoT Australia publication for news and views on the emerging trend.
