Combining IoT and industry expertise will allow you to meet the growing demand for systems that enable greater visibility and automation.
Internet of Things (IoT) implementations can be transformative. For example, sensors have changed how freight companies pack and ship goods to maintain higher safety standards. Wearable sensors can determine how much stress employees feel in the workplace. IoT enables healthcare advances, such as field-programmable insulin pumps, pacemakers, and defibrillators, that share information with care providers. And agriculture has embraced IoT for use cases from tractor management to livestock feeding.
Building Blocks of Good IoT Implementation
Although how IoT is used across markets and industries can be vastly different, successful IoT implementations share some common characteristics. As you assist your clients with their projects, ensure each component is in place.
- Sensors and Smart Devices collect and use data in the IoT network. The challenge is choosing the right devices for the use case based on functionality, space, power constraints, environmental considerations, and cost. The choices you help your clients make will impact the total cost of ownership (TCO) and the system’s performance.
- Device Management allows you to monitor and maintain devices throughout the network. With visibility into assets, businesses can address issues before they result in downtime, increase security, control costs, and maximise system performance. Keep in mind that not every device management system is designed for IoT devices. Ensure your clients can manage the devices connected to their IoT network effectively.
- Cloud and Edge Computing give your clients the means to store and process data. A combination of cloud and edge computing allows you to design a system that leverages edge computing to control costs and minimise latency by keeping some computing near the data source and using the cloud for storage, reporting, and communicating with other systems.
- Connectivity is the backbone of IoT. The system is ineffective when you don’t have a strong network connection. Consider all connectivity options and failovers to ensure continuous, reliable communications.
- Big Data Analytics processes the massive amounts of data an IoT system generates and provides mission-critical information to the people, processes, and devices that need it to operate. Analytics can also identify security risks, optimise costs, and help to enhance customer experiences.
- Security is paramount with IoT implementations. With hundreds of devices – or more – connected to the network, the attack surface greatly expands. Moreover, some devices may have vulnerabilities that hackers are racing to find before they can be secured. From device selection to network architecture and ongoing monitoring, ensure security is baked into every facet of the IoT implementation.
How to Help Your Clients Achieve Their Goals
To design an IoT network that delivers ROI, it’s essential for technology solutions providers (TSPs) to take a strategic, systematic approach to implementation. Follow these steps:
- Know your client’s unique business goals: It’s important to clarify precisely what your client is trying to achieve through IoT. Ask about the specific problem they’re trying to solve and their short- and long-term goals.
- Research similar use cases: IoT implementations are well-proven in some applications. If your client is focused on asset tracking, environmental monitoring, process control and automation, or preventative maintenance, study similar implementations to learn what works best.
- Choose the right IoT platform. The IoT platform determines how data is processed. Carefully select the platform for the IoT implementation; changing platforms will take you back to square one with the project. So take time now to deploy the best solution.
- Advise clients on the right hardware and sensors: You’ll find a wide range of devices and sensors that can connect to an IoT network. Carefully research and recommend the best for your client.
- Proof of concept or pilot test the IoT system. Before jumping to full-scale IoT implementation, test that the system will work as expected. Suggest that your clients assemble a team of individuals from various departments to ensure the IoT will function correctly across the enterprise.
Be the Expert
Nearly 75 percent of IoT implementations fail. IoT technology is still unfamiliar to many people – even those with IT expertise – so your client may not have internal resources capable of successfully managing a project. Furthermore, some third-party providers that your clients may have worked with in the past may have IoT expertise, but they may not have your familiarity with your industry and your clients’ pain points.
Build your knowledge of successful IoT implementations, how to manage a project from idea to proof of concept to full-scale deployment, and be the expert that your clients need.
