IoT Platforms: Decoding the future of Internet of Things

Followers, Readers & Friends; Finally I am here with some deep insights into IoT Internet of things & IoT Platforms – HOTTEST TECHNOLOGY TOPIC OF 2016. Flow of this article will be as follows:

1. Why IoT is called Internet of things
2. What is an IoT Platform
3. Types of IoT Platforms
4. Best IoT Platforms
5. IoT Platform Architecture

Hope you are already familiar with the term IoT or Internet of things or internet of everything whatever you call. If not then:

See: Internet of things: Exactly what it is?

You know what is truly unique about technologies? It’s the pace at which it changes its shape. It always enters in our life through back doors when we are sleeping and gets out of the front when we wake up! This is how it moves! Exactly the same is happening with internet of things. It seems like yesterday only when IoT entered our life and see now; it is going to touch the magical figure of 21 billion connected devices by 2020 as per Gartner. Now you can witness IoT Solution breaking everyday! From Home Automation till Retail, internet of things hasn’t spared any sector.

Why IoT is called is internet of things?

IoT is all about connecting various devices and bringing them on the network exactly in the same way as our computers are connected to other computers placed anywhere in this world. Internet is nothing but connection of countless virtual computers of this world. In the same way, Internet of things is all about connection of devices or machines to other countless devices. That’s the reason why it is called internet of things.

Now let’s jump to the main topic of this post – IoT Platforms. So what does it mean by IoT Platforms?




What is an IoT platform?

Nowadays IoT Platforms are the centre point of discussion in internet of things technologies. It is being talked like never before! IoTians & tech guys are researching ferociously around the clock for IoT platforms & IoT Platform Companies.

The term IoT is an assemblage of various tech layers, encompassing various components such as-connectivity components, sensors, device hardware, embedded software, OS, Security functions, IoT gateways for the fortification of devises, communication protocols, Iot connectivity platform, cloud software, enterprise management and data processing system.

IoT Platform lies somewhere in the heart of this assemblage. IoT platforms acts like a middleware to connect various IoT components. IoT Platforms carries on various functions;

• Gives access to devices
• Looks after installation & behavior of the devices in the IoT Ecosystem
• Data analysis
• Takes care of connectivity issues- on the local network, cloud or connection with any other external device.

An Iot Platform enjoys the freedom of being independent- standing in the centre between the device hardware and various application layers of IoT tech assemblage.

Types of IoT Platforms




Do you know that there are more than 300 IoT Platforms & IoT Connectivity Solutions offered by IoT Platform Companies in the market today? Plus the thing which is worth noticing is that all IoT Platforms are not the same. In normal circumstances when we are talking about IoT Platforms then it means IoT Application Platforms:

• ‘IoT Application Enablement & Development Platform’- offers templates, widgets, modules & frameworks to create real IoT apps. There are also other types of IoT Platforms. Oracle, ThingWorx, WoT.Io  are rendering this type of IoT Platforms.
• Device Management IoT Platforms– this type of IoT Platforms are much more focused on maintaining, monitoring and controlling the device hardware in the IoT ecosystem. Companies like Intel  and Digi  are offering this type of IoT Platforms.
• Network, Data, Connectivity and M2M IoT Platforms– these types of IoT Platforms facilitates easy cellular connectivity of the devices in IoT. Users going for these platforms don’t have to setup large data infrastructure for the connected devices. Cisco,Jasper,  Wyless, Aeris  are offering this IoT Platforms.

Which is Best IoT Platform

Any IoT Platform which integrates well with the connected devices and device applications and facilitates easy implementation of all the features and functionalities of IoT and  behaves well into any device can be called as Best IoT Platforms. Few examples are: ibm watson iot platform, c3 iot platform, telit iot platforms

IoT Platform Architecture: A quick Glimpse

As I just wrote earlier that IoT Platform is like a connecting bridge between the things or devices in IoT. It takes care of the connectivity aspects between devices including apps in the devices.  These are the 8 main architectural components of IoT Platforms. Just have a look:

• Connectivity & link establishment – various types of data formats & protocols are turned into a simple interface so that it facilitates communication with all the devices & establishes a proper data stream.
• Device management – looks after the proper functioning of the connected devices, continuously runs updates and patches ( As per Wikipedia- patch is a piece of software designed to update a computer program or its supporting data) for the device software and applications or edge gateways.
• Database– as the data coming from different devices surges ahead, their storage requires hybrid cloud based databases-which can handle different forms of data in terms of their volume, type, speed and integrity.
• Data Processing and due action call– this is where the beauty of IoT unfolds! Machine data gets converted to live data- which speaks, calls for the due action!
• Data Analytics– executes n number of complex analytical functions, dives deep into the machine data and comes out with the most valued information from the data stream- just like the gems of the ocean.
• Pattern Reading- with the data patterns and behavior coming clearly on the visualization dashboards, it becomes easy for the user to visualize the patterns and trends on the data portrayal graphs and designs.
• Other tools– for IoT development community to prototype the IoT use case
• Integration with outside external interfaces & other players of IoT Ecosystem– through built- in application programming interfaces, software development kit and gateways.

In the entire architectural design the element which must be severely emphasized is inherent security aspects of it. Without it no architectural plan can be formulated. In-built security features is the most important aspect of IoT platforms and it can’t be compromised. Especially in the wake of Cyber Security Threats, it has become all the more important.



This is what I wanted to share with you guys on IoT Platforms. If there is any update or latest development attached to the above topic, I will immediately reach out. As a follower of this platform, you all are my driving force. I simply can’t imagine iotfunda.com without you guys. And there’s a firm commitment from my side that I will keep on giving “REAL FUNDAS” on IoT & popular IoT Platforms to you.

In my next post, I am going to come out with List of Top 15 Most Popular IoT Platforms.

SO BE IN TOUCH!