Four Questions to Ask Before Adopting the Internet of Things
By Saba Anees

Stop me if you've heard this one before: there's another side to the Internet that isn't just about connecting people. The Internet of Things (IoT) is about connecting virtually any "thing" or machine. They could range from personal wearables to smart homes, smart cities' infrastructure, utilities, transportation, and manufacturing. You've probably heard by now; the IoT is far bigger than the Internet of people, and it's growing fast. Gartner says the IoT will grow 30 percent in 2016, reaching 6.4 billion devices, with more than five million new devices connected daily. It's expected to continue growing to 20.8 billion devices by 2020.

It's more than likely any business today sees the potential of adopting an Internet of Things model into their enterprise, but are you doing it in the best way? We set aside the four questions you and your team should be answering to determine how to find the right opportunity in the IoT space for your business.

1. What is the Internet of Things?
First things first. Defining the Internet of Things, and establishing its context to your framework is instrumental in determining your potential with IoT. Gartner defines the IoT as "the network of physical objects that contain embedded technology to communicate and sense or interact with their internal states or the external environment." Verizon identifies three characteristics of IoT devices:

• Aware: The devices include sensors that report information about their surroundings
• Autonomous: IoT devices are connected and automatically transfer information to a central location or application for processing.
• Actionable: The information collected is integrated into business processes for decision making.

Figure 1: The three characteristics of IoT Devices

2. Is your software configured to connect with the IoT?
Talking about the IoT in terms of things makes it sound like the IoT is all about physical hardware. While the IoT doesn't exist without sensor-based devices, the devices don't actually function without software. Most IoT devices have a user interfaced website or smartphone app where the user can manage configuration settings and review activity. Some IoT devices have more sophisticated analytics that gather big data and crunch the numbers to make decisions about what the device should do or present insights to business management.

While building the software that runs on a device may require specialized skills for embedded programming, the backend processes are conventional software applications with common software development concerns, including performance and ease of use. The usual security concerns around software become even more important with the IoT, as software controls devices in the real world and security failures can impact physical systems.

3. Do your team's technical capabilities scale with the needs of the IoT?
Technology developments now make dealing with the technical challenges of IoT devices easier. Platforms like Raspberry Pi provide low-cost boards equipped for IoT development. Low-power sensors and new low-power communication technology, such as LoRa, mean the limited power available to IoT devices does not limit functionality. Sensors and circuits are shrunk to the point that they fit into devices a person is willing to wear.

On the software side, companies have made platforms to create a standardized environment for IoT development. Applications can use RESTful APIs or lightweight protocol, which were designed to work where memory and network capacity are limited.

Both Amazon Web Services and the Google Cloud Platform offer features explicitly intended to meet the needs of IoT applications, including both real-time communications with IoT devices and performance of the big data analytics necessary to make sense of data once it accumulates. Combined with the hardware platforms, these services make it easy to get started prototyping a device and its software. Because prototyping platforms are scalable, if an idea is not successful, it is easy to continue developing it and create a robust product without throwing away the work that was already done.

4. How does it create a ROI for your business?
Customer-generated data collected by IoT devices offer companies insight into customer behavior and create additional selling opportunities. They provide an in-depth insight that provides opportunity for companies to forecast everything from product roadmaps to market leverage. There are four main kinds of benefits for businesses:

• Improvements in operational efficiency and asset utilization: Companies gain the ability to manage equipment remotely and schedule preventive maintenance to eliminate downtime. The IoT can also help with optimizing supply chains and loss prevention.

• An outcome-based business model: The tracking and monitoring enabled by the IoT lets companies change the way they sell equipment. The use of sensors allows them to sell based on usage and quality level, allowing capital goods to adopt the "as-a-Service" model that's become popular for software.

• Analytics-based controls: Combining analytics with smart devices will let companies fine-tune control over their processes. Adjustments can be made in real time to ensure continued production and compliance with environmental standards.

• Improved work efficiency: Smart devices will allow increased collaboration between workers and equipment, improving productivity.

The post 4 Questions to Ask Before Adopting the Internet of Things appeared first on Application Performance Monitoring Blog | AppDynamics.

@ThingsExpo - The World's Largest 'Internet of Things' Event, June 7-9 2016 at New York City's Javits Center!

Secrets of Sponsors and Exhibitors ▸ Here
Secrets of Cloud Expo Speakers ▸ Here

All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices - computers, smartphones, tablets, and sensors - connected to the Internet by 2020. This number will continue to grow at a rapid pace for the next several decades.

@CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo 2016 New York 
(June 7-9, 2016, Javits Center, Manhattan)

@CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo 2016 Silicon Valley
(November 1-3, 2016, Santa Clara Convention Center, CA)

With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo, June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be.

Register for @[email protected] 'FREE' Before Friday! ▸ Here

Delegates to @ThingsExpo will be able to attend 14 simultaneous, information-packed education tracks.

There are over 120 breakout sessions in all, with Keynotes, General Sessions, and Power Panels adding to three days of incredibly rich presentations and content.

Join @ThingsExpo conference chair Roger Strukhoff (@IoT2040), June 7-9, 2016 in New York City, for three days of intense 'Internet of Things' discussion and focus, including Big Data's indespensable role in IoT, Smart Grids and Industrial Internet of Things, Wearables and Consumer IoT, as well as (new) IoT's use in Vertical Markets.

Your conference registration includes all 14 @CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo Tracks:

01 @CloudExpo: Enterprise Cloud Adoption
02 @CloudExpo: DevOps, Continuous Delivery and APIs
03 @CloudExpo: Mobility & Security
04 @CloudExpo: Containers & Microservices

05 @ThingsExpo: Big Data's Use in IoT & Analytics
06 @ThingsExpo: Smart Grids & Industrial 'Internet of Things'
07 @ThingsExpo: Show Me the Money! - IoT Developer Track
08 @ThingsExpo: Wearables & Consumer IoT

Hot Topics - Day 1:
09 @ThingsExpo: Vertical 'Internet of Things' Markets
10 @ThingsExpo: Identity in IoT, RTC & WebRTC

Hot Topics - Day 2:
11 @CloudExpo: Modern Data Centers
12 @ThingsExpo: Node.js & Event-Driven Architecture

Hot Topics - Day 3:
13 @CloudExpo: Cognitive Computing / Machine Learning
14 @ThingsExpo: Maker Movement & the IoT

Register FREE Before Friday! ▸ Here

A General Session, November 3-5, 2015 in Silicon Valley

@CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo 2016 New York 
(June 7-9, 2016, Javits Center, Manhattan)

@CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo 2016 Silicon Valley
(November 1-3, 2016, Santa Clara Convention Center, CA)

Speaking Proposals Open
Fourth International @ThingsExpo, co-located with 18th International @CloudExpo - being held June 7-9, 2016 at the Javits Center in New York City, announces that its Call for Papers for speaking opportunities is open. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal and enterprise IT since the creation of the Worldwide Web more than 20 years ago.

Submit your speaking proposal today! ▸ Here

Sponsorship Opportunities Open
@ThingsExpo, June 7-9, 2016 at the Javits Center in New York City, is co-located with 18th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world.

Sponsor and Exhibit at @ThingsExpo ▸ Here
Download Show Prospectus ▸ Here

Secrets of Sponsors and Exhibitors ▸ Here
Secrets of Cloud Expo Speakers ▸ Here

Show Me The Money!
How We Built and Scaled an IoT Platform and Business

In his keynote at @ThingsExpo, Chris Matthieu, Director of IoT Engineering at Citrix and co-founder and CTO of Octoblu, focused on building an IoT platform and company. He provided a behind-the-scenes look at Octoblu's platform, business, and pivots along the way (including the Citrix acquisition of Octoblu).

Download Chris Matthieu Keynote Slide Deck: ▸ Here

@ThingsExpo Named the World's Most Influential IoT Media Brand

@ThingsExpo has been named the Top Most Influential Internet of Things'Media Brand' by Onalytica in the ‘The Internet of Things Landscape 2015: Top 100 Individuals and Brands.'

Onalytica analyzed Twitter conversations around the IoT debate to uncover the most influential brands and individuals driving the conversation.

Intel and Cisco have been named the world's most influential IoT brands, followed by SYS-CON Media's global IoT event, @ThingsExpo as the world's most influential IoT media brand. [continued]

New York and Silicon Valley Sponsors and Exhibitors
During our last New York and Silicon Valley events, over 12,000 (audited) delegates registered and participated at@ThingsExpo, in the world's largest 'Internet of Things' event, colocated with @CloudExpo. Our conference delegates met with over 160 of the world's leading technology pioneers that were among the sponsors and exhibitors, including:

Our Demo Theater on the Expo Floor attracts more delegates than the entire conference of other events

Acision, Actifio, ActiveState, AgilePoint, AIC , Akana, AlertLogic, Ambernet, Amplidata, Apacer Memory America Inc., Appcore, AppDynamics, AppZero, Aria Systems, Arista Networks, Automic, Avere Systems, Axis Communications, B2CLOUD, Basic6, Bestwebdesignagencies.com, Bitium, Blue Box , BMC, BroadSoft, Brother , Bsquare, BUMI, CA, Inc., Calm.io, CenturyLink, Ciqada, CiRBA, Cisco, Cloudant, an IBM Company, Cloudian, CoalFire, CodeFutures, COLUMN Technologies, CommVault, connect2.me, Connected Data, CrashPlan/Code42, Creative Business Solutions , Cynny Italia S.r.l, Dasher, dcVAST, DEAC, Dell, DevOps.com, Distrix , DragonGlass, Dyn, Edgecast , ElasticBox, Emcien, Endstream Communications/Open Data Centers, EnterpriseDB, e-SignLive, by Silanis, Esri, Evident.io, FierceDevOps, FireHost, Genband, Gigamon, GoodData, Gridstore, Harbinger Group , IAPP, IBM, IDenticard Access Control, Imperva, IndependenceIT, Infor, InMage, Innodisk, Intelligent Systems, Isomorhpic , ITinvolve, iwNetworks, Ixia, iXsystems , Jelastic, Kintone, KOTRA , Liaison, Litmus Automation, MangoApps, Matrix.org, MediaTek Labs, MetraTech (now part of Ericsson), Microsoft, Navisite, Net Access , Nimble Storage, NuoDB, Inc., Objectivity, OMG, Open Data Centers, OpenCrowd, Optimal Design, Oracle, OutSystems, Parasoft, Peak10, Peer 1 Hosting, PluralSight, Plutora, ProfitBricks, PubNub, Quality Technology Services , Quantum, Qubell, RackWare , Rancher Labs, Red Hat, r-evolutionapp , RingStor, Robomq.io, SafeLogic, SAP, ScaleMP, Seagate, Secure Infrastructure & Services, Sematext , SendGrid , Serena Software, Sherweb, SimpleECM, Site 24x7, Smartvue Corporation, SOASTA, SoftLayer, an IBM Company, SoftwareAG, Soha, Solgenia, SPAN Systems, Spirent, StackIQ, Stateless Networks, Storpool, Stratogent, Stratoscale, Supermicro, SUSE, Tau Institute, Telecity, Telehouse, Telestax, The New York Times , The Vision Times, TierPoint, TMCnet, Transparent Cloud Computing Consortium, Tufin, Ulunsoft, Utimaco, VASCO Data Security, Veeam, Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Vicom Computer Services, VictorOps, Virtustream, VITRIA Technology, Vormetric, WHOA.com, Will Jaya, Windstream, WSM - Website Movers International, Zentera Systems, Zerto.

New York City June 2015 Expo Floor

Silicon Valley November 2015 Expo Floor

@CloudExpo / @ThingsExpo Has Been a Must-Attend Event for Ericsson
This week, the team assembled in NYC for @Cloud Expo 2015 and @ThingsExpo 2015. For the past four years, this has been a must-attend event for MetraTech. We were happy to once again join industry visionaries, colleagues, customers and even competitors to share and explore the ways in which the Internet of Things (IoT) will impact our industry. Over the course of the show, we discussed the types of challenges we will collectively need to solve to capitalize on the opportunity IoT presents. [continued]

About SYS-CON Media & Events
SYS-CON Media (www.sys-con.com) has since 1994 been connecting technology companies and customers through a comprehensive content stream - featuring over forty focused subject areas, from Cloud Computing to Web Security - interwoven with market-leading full-scale conferences produced by SYS-CON Events. The company's internationally recognized brands include among others Cloud Expo® (@CloudExpo), Big Data Expo® (@BigDataExpo), DevOps Summit (@DevOpsSummit), @ThingsExpo® (@ThingsExpo), Containers Expo (@ContainersExpo) and Microservices Expo (@MicroservicesE).

Cloud Expo®, Big Data Expo® and @ThingsExpo® are registered trademarks of Cloud Expo, Inc., a SYS-CON Events company.