9 platforms that have revolutionised the world of things connectivity — part 1
We are living in an extraordinary era; a time that is defined by connectivity. We have submerged ourselves in the world of interconnected things. Within this world, every single ‘thing’ is a data-collection node of a vast universal network. This ever-growing connectivity requires a powerful infrastructure that can address the needs presented by its users. At the core of this infrastructure are the platforms. Platforms are responsible for the intricate management and connectivity of all the connected devices. In brief, platforms enable:
- Secure connection between devices
- Deployment of applications that manage and monitor devices
- Device management
- Gathering and analysis of data from connected devices
Platforms handle everything between networks, access points, hardware, and applications. They are generally divided into three main types:
- Application Enablement/ Development Platforms (AEPs/ADPs)
2. Data/Network/Subscriber Management Platforms
3. Device Management Platforms (DMP)
Among these platforms, AEPs are the most complete one that comprise the second and third platforms. AEPs provide the foundational services that include application making and enablement, device management and communication, security, database, analytic, and external interfaces.
The IoT platform landscape is complex and changing constantly. Currently, several platforms are available in the market, and the number is growing rapidly. However, every platform is different from the others, which makes it more complex to select a platform. Within two articles I will introduce 9 platforms for building scalable IoT applications and services. These platforms simplify the process of developing, connecting, managing, and data analysis for IoT devices.
1. AWS IoT
Initially released in 2015, AWS IoT is a managed cloud platform within Amazon IoT solutions. It enables internet-connected devices to securely interact with cloud applications and other devices. AWS IoT is designed in a way that integrates directly with other AWS services such as AWS Lambda, Amazon Kinesis, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon S3, and Amazon SNS.
With built-in Kibana integration, this highly scalable platform, makes it easy to build IoT applications that collect, process, analyse and act upon generated data. In addition, the Just-in-time registration, which automatically registers new certificates as part of the initial communication between the device and AWS IoT, speeds up batch deployments. The AWS IoT is composed of device gateway, message broker, rules engine, security and identity service, thing registry, device shadows, and device shadow service.
The AWS IoT provides four different interfaces for creating and interacting with things including, a command line interface (for running commands on Linux, Windows, and OS X), an API (for building IoT applications using HTTP or HTTPS requests), AWS SDKs (for building applications using language-specific APIs), and a device SDK (for building applications that run on devices).
The AWS IoT main features include:
- Secure Device Gateway
- Registry for identifying devices
- Thing Shadows for storing and retrieving current state information
- Rules engine for interaction between devices and AWS services
- Authentication and authorization for proven exchanged data
- Amazon has the most comprehensive service among the cloud providers that means using the AWS IoT inherently provides you with other benefits
2. Ayla Agile IoT Platform
Ayla IoT platform is a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that simplifies connecting devices to the internet and provides the required tools and services for deploying, managing, and analyzing connected devices. Its modular and flexible end-to-end architecture enables applying rapid changes to nearly any device, cloud, and app environment. The three main components of the Ayla platform are:
- Ayla Embedded Agents — connect devices to the Ayla Cloud
- Ayla Cloud Services — for managing and controlling connected deployment, intelligent insights, and automating operations
- Ayla Application Libraries — contain rich APIs for developing apps (iOS, Android) that can securely control and manage IoT devices
Ayla Networks targets IoT device manufacturers initially at home appliances, fire and safety, and HVAC systems. Ayla’s production-ready software reduces implementation and qualification cycles and its end-to-end platform shortens time-to-market. The main features of Ayla’s Platform include:
- TLS 1.2 Encryption, Root Key Protection, and multi-layer authentication to ensure secure connectivity
- OAuth-based user authentication
- Elastic cloud computing — dynamic scaling due to platform architecture
- A rule engine for interaction between devices and Ayla Cloud
- Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware upgrades
- Open platform architecture that supports third party service integrations
- OEM dashboard for monitoring device performance
- Built-in reporting and visualization tools
- Simple connection to the network without a user interface
3. Azure IoT Suite
Microsoft Azure IoT Suite is a set of preconfigured solutions for remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and connected factory. These preconfigured solutions employ combination of Azure IoT services to help implement IoT solutions effectively. These services include:
- Azure IoT Hub — a fully managed service that acts as the gateway to the cloud and other IoT Suite services. It provides the device management as well as the secure bidirectional communications between IoT devices and a solution back end.
- Azure Stream Analytics — a real-time event processing engine for in-motion data analysis. IoT Suite uses this service to process incoming telemetry, perform aggregation, and detect events.
- Azure Storage and Azure Cosmos DB — the cloud storage capabilities; Blob storage stores telemetry for later analysis and Cosmos DB stores device metadata and enables the device management capabilities
- Azure Web Apps and Microsoft Power BI — the data visualization capabilities for building interactive dashboards that use IoT Suite data
- Azure Machine Learning — a cloud predictive analytics service for creating and deploying predictive models as analytics solutions
The Azure IoT Suite integrates several specialized tools and services to increase the IoT platform functionalities. Microsoft also provides Azure IoT SDKs that facilitate building and managing IoT devices and applications.
In the latest development, Microsoft launched Azure IoT Edge to help companies to manage IoT devices in their edge computing solutions. It “enables IoT devices to run cloud services, process data in near real-time, and communicate with sensors and other devices connected to them, even with intermittent cloud connectivity.” GitHub Azure IoT Edge
The main features of Azure IoT suite include:
- Device shadowing
- A rules engine
- Identity registry
- Information monitoring
4. Jasper Control Center — for IoT
In 2016, Cisco acquired Jasper Technologies, an IoT cloud platform provider, to advance its IoT service solution. With Jasper, Cisco merged connectivity, security, automation, and real-time insights. At the core of Jasper is Control Center that enables customers to automate connectivity, control, and manage every aspects of IoT services.
Jasper Control Center for IoT is an automated connectivity management platform for launching, managing and monetizing IoT devices. Control Center is also pre-integrated with some IoT systems such as Azure IoT Suite, IBM IoT Watson, and ThingWorks.
In an attempt to expand the reach of Jasper, Cisco recently added the support for NB-IoT (Narrow Band-IoT), a 3GPP-standard for Low Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN). This makes Control Center among the first IoT platforms that supports this technology.
Jasper Control Center’s main features include:
- Multi-layered security — protection against security breaches
- Cost management controls — analyse and optimize operational expenses
- Lifecycle management — automate service management through different stages of product lifecycle
- Real-time remote diagnostics and abnormal behaviour detection
- Reliable bi-directional data delivery
- Through network visibility of use across all deployed devices
- Complete control of operations through robust API
- Near real-time cost management controls
In addition to IoT devices, Jasper has Control Center for Mobile Enterprise, which manage and monitor device connectivity and data usage. The platform allows real-time location monitoring of SIM cards and enables enterprises to better predict their telecom bills.
5. GE Predix
Predix was originally developed to support General Electric’s own IoT applications; however, GE made it available to others, within a short time after its launch. Built on open source framework, Cloud Foundry, Predix is a Platform-as-a-Service that provides remote monitoring, advanced predictive, and edge analytics.
Predix is made for mainstream industries such as energy, transportation, aviation, and healthcare. It facilitates the development of industrial IoT applications that can process real-time operational data into actionable insights. It enables developers to rapidly build, securely deploy, and effectively operate industrial apps. Its core components are:
- Predix Cloud — a cloud infrastructure optimized for industrial workloads
- Predix Machine — a software stack responsible for the bi-directional connectivity between the industrial assets and the Predix Cloud, as well as running local applications
- Predix Connectivity — enables machines to communicate with the Predix Cloud via a virtual network when a direct internet connection is not available
- Predix EdgeManager — for managing the edge devices running on Predix Machine
- Predix Services — industrial services for building, testing and running industrial applications
- Predix for Developers — a framework for developers to communicate with services
Predix is creating an ecosystem of services and apps for the industrial IoT. It is possible for tech companies to create their service that fit into Predix. Services from third parties and GE are available at Predix catalog services. Services such as:
- Anomaly Detection, from ThetaRay
- Key-Value Store, from Redis
- Message Queue, from RabbitMQ
- Blockchian Data Integrity, from Ericsson
Predix also enables customers to build and run digital twin, a high-fidelity virtual model of a physical asset, that can be changed and tweaked to see how it will perform, before deploying in the field. “Digital twins provide a constantly evolving picture of machines and operations, capturing everything from components to functions to entire processes and plants. They capture the entire lifespan of an asset, as well as entire asset classes, and gain insights into past and present performance and future intelligence.”
Predix main features include:
- Tools for digital twin
- Edge-to-cloud computing with Predix System — enables analysis where data is gathered
- Integrated security and governance
- Rich ecosystem of third-party apps and services
- User Account and Authentication,
Since the launch of Predix, GE has tried to forge its platform through different acquisitions. Last November, the company acquired Bit Stew Systems and Wise.io, two AI startups. Bit Stew’s platform handles complex data integration, data analysis, and predictive automation for connected devices. In addition, the Wise.io focus is on machine learning technology.
In the next article, I will describe four more IoT software platforms.
