In an era of connectivity where billions upon billions of devices work in a constant symphony of data, insights, and security, there stands one technology to rule them all.
The Internet of Things.
Spanning all industries and regions, IoT is changing the way the world connects. Enhancements to efficiency, security, and scalability are the hallmarks of a technology that is finding unparalleled success in the area of energy management.
The nuances of what is IoT device management and what is what is simply cloud-based software are often overlooked, but they offer vastly different capabilities.
With its exceptional ability to maintain, control, and monitor devices, IoT will have quietly amassed a value of over a trillion dollars by 2024 since its rise to prominence in 2010.
Key statistics: The numbers behind IoT
- IoT is projected to grow year-on-year in both revenue and investment from 2019-2030
- Sensor processing is the highest area of focus within the IoT industry at 48%
- The total number of IoT-connected devices is expected to hit 25 billion by 2030
- Energy IoT is projected to hit $75 billion by 2024 globally
- 65% of energy companies deploy IoT for monitoring and optimizing consumption
What is IoT device management?
Broadly speaking, IoT device management is described as the technologies, processes, and tools responsible for the monitoring and maintenance of any number of connected devices.
We live in a world with more and more devices being network-connected every day at rapidly rising rates. And IoT has installed itself as the defacto emerging technology to provide the solution to scalability, security, and productivity questions.
IoT is growing in sophistication and adoption, and to manage the lifespan of IoT-connected devices, there needs to be a system in place to deal with the rigors of provisioning, retiring, monitoring, and updating associated with them.
What is IoT device management going to for companies in the energy industry? Optimizing performance, reducing downtime, and maintaining network security
And there is a push and pull factor in its domination.
- The Push: Consumer adoption is on the rise while more employees will be adding more devices and strain on I.T. infrastructure.
- The Pull: IoT devices are laying the foundation for deeper analytics, even more automation and efficiency, and disruptive business models.
What can IoT device management do?
What is IoT device management, if not centralization, secure connectivity, integration, and data safety in various iterations?
Key to any competent device management in IoT is the ability to offer superior scalability, greater productivity, and save time and money. This is especially true when it comes to new devices.
- Network Onboarding
All newly acquired IoT devices must be onboarded to a network. There are no independent interfaces on traditional devices, and this is where an IoT device management solution can configure protocols, assign identities, check credentials, and so on.
- Configuring Devices
Within any organization, there are different needs and requirements relating to their respective devices, so keeping these devices grouped and operating together is optimal in some cases.
- Security
One of the most critical and ever-increasing challenges within IoT device management solutions is security. With massive amounts of traffic occurring over unencrypted channels, bringing endpoints under secure oversight is vital.
- Maintaining Devices
Updating security protocols for and firmware becomes far more streamlined with IoT-connected devices and can be done on mass and over the air (OTA).
- Device Lifecycles
So, what is IoT device management in terms of end-of-life? Unused devices that are still connected to enterprise networks are prone to creating external security risks and even operational damages. Policies around end-of-life processes show precisely how best to retire, recycle, and decommission.
- Operational Diagnostics
Diagnostic tools open up a world of insights into IoT operations, offering a 360-degree view of organizational processes and operations. However, many IoT devices do not possess the memory or the resources to do that on their own and without centralization, and that is what IoT device management is all about.
What are the most important features to consider for IoT device management?
Though there are a plethora of IoT device management solutions, there are several critical features required to complement and improve processes within any organization.
- Bulk Onboarding
IoT device management software must facilitate onboarding with a network key and any required identification credentials. This should be able to be done remotely in order to secure a connection between endpoints and the service.
- Troubleshooting Remotely
For faster resolution of user queries and concerns and to minimize manual work, remote troubleshooting is a must. But with a governance portal, multiple endpoints can be efficiently and holistically serviced.
- Robust Integrations
Having full compatibility with existing hardware and codebases for relevant applications is a must-have for IoT device management solutions. It has to be able to connect with downstream servers and apps for synergy in workflows.
- Analytics and Reporting
In the main, IoT devices come equipped with edge analytics functionality, and with device management and GUI dashboards, businesses can tap into real-time insights. This data can also be used for reports detailing business user understanding or energy consumption.
- Strict Security
What is IoT device management doing for organizational security efforts? Providing reporting on logs, any anomalous access or use, and real-time notifications from dashboards about diagnostics and deeper analysis.
Data security and protection in IoT device management
Maintaining and ensuring the integrity and safety of transmitted data flowing between cloud services and devices is a massively important part of IoT device management solutions.
By consistently monitoring and updating security protocols, deploying robust authentication protocols, and data encryption, organizations and businesses can guarantee their privacy and safety.
What is IoT device management doing to support data security and protecting devices?
- Cracking down on security standards
- Using segmentation and encryption to generate improved data protection
- Ease of management, updating, and access control of devices or device groups
When selecting an IoT device management platform, security should always be one of the highest priorities. Secure connectivity and centralized management software should always be stringently researched before making any decision on implementation.
What is IoT device management doing to benefit businesses?
With the right strategy, IoT device management has the potential to simplify every aspect of IoT projects. It has been likened to a logistics solution that provides insights, security, and operational efficiencies.
So, how does it benefit businesses directly?
Streamlining updates and device changes
The dynamic nature of IoT and its constant adaptation to new technologies, business strategies, and consumer sentiment means that there needs to be a simplified and unified platform.
IoT device management solutions allow businesses to manage and modify devices at scale and enable them to send and receive critical data with exceptional speed and accuracy.
With the right device management platform, companies can:
- Controlled, efficient updating of any number of devices
- Remote configuration of devices and updating software and firmware
- Install software on multiple devices or device groups all at once
Better reliability and stability
One of the hallmarks of a superior IoT device management solution is its ability to combine real-time access, total visibility, and super configurable device structuring into a single platform.
Transparency in IoT devices and their vital information is provided like a glass pane that allows for peace of mind concerning the stability, reliability, and security of those devices, as well as making sure they are all up to date.
Should there be any issues, users are notified in real-time about any losses in reliability or stability so that action may be taken immediately.
Agility in changing business models
To extract maximum ROI from IoT solutions, businesses need a device management platform that streamlines shifting to new strategies.
When implementing effective IoT device management solutions, there is an established foundation from which to innovate and develop new and exciting products or services. As well as to grow revenue and add deeper layers of understanding surrounding customers.
What is IoT device management in the IoT maturity curve? There are ample opportunities in every phase to add even more complexity right the way through, from remote monitoring to equipment-as-a-service.
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