Connecting The Internet Of Things

Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) can be daunting to understand considering the overwhelming amount of articles available on the subject. Meanwhile, the rapid proliferation of new IoT devices continues in both our personal lives as well as in virtually every industry. The purpose of this document is to quell the hype and facilitate a discussion of how to prepare for and manage an IoT deployment at a fundamental level.

This document will provide some best practices to help you understand how to deploy, validate and troubleshoot using purpose-built solutions that are designed to be quick and easy to use, such that anyone on the IT team of any skill level can become proficient at these tasks, allowing organizations to do more with the available staff.

The Drive for IoT

Digital transformation is driving a rapid proliferation of IoT devices, which will require IP connectivity and – in many cases – network-delivered power. Organizations are moving towards more IoT connected devices in an effort to drive down operational costs, and upgrade building automation systems to achieve efficiency gains, such as in HVAC and lighting as just two examples. This move compels integration and cooperation across IT, and OT (Operational Technology) organizations and technologies. This puts increasing demands on already-strained enterprise access networks and support resources. The image below provides an example as to the breadth of the types of devices that are becoming network connected.