Just like ABCDE: how the Internet of Things works

What elements does the Internet of things consist of and what needs to be considered to implement technology in a business

Sometimes even the most “smart” solutions can have problems in implementation and subsequent work. This is frustrating for the company that implemented them to improve efficiency. This situation often happens with the Internet of things, which in itself is a rather complex structure.

Why is this happening? This is due, first of all, to the fact that the direction requires the integration of IT technologies with business processes, and they are not well debugged.

In fact, the Internet of Things works just like ABCDE:

• A – Analytics or “Analytics”;
• B – Big Data or “Big Data”;
• C – Connection or “Connection”;
• D – Devices or “Devices”;
• E – Experience or “Experience”

Analytics / Analytics

Is it worth saying that without analytics, the development and very life of any business is impossible? Whether you want to cut costs, introduce a new product/service, or just need reliable information that is always available, all roads lead to analytics.

In the Internet of Things, analytics is one of the key links. It combines into a single structure:

• physical devices;
• data directly received from them;
• business processes.

Without such a structure, it is impossible to achieve a return on investment (ROI).

At the same time, IoT solutions should not cost more than the data itself and require re-equipment of the entire existing business infrastructure. If the collected analytics help the company save or make new successful projects worth more than the cost of installing and maintaining the device, the solution will be profitable. If not, forget about it, otherwise you will not achieve a return on investment. Inside the costs, you must consider the cost of the sensor, its installation, upgrades, maintenance, and analytical platform.

Big Data / Big Data

Big Data is not only an effective way to store data, but also filling it with content, additional information, and new value. In fact, this is a large Excel file, which contains all the direct and indirect information from the sensors. All data received from connected devices is stored in the cloud. They allow you to identify patterns and automate existing processes or build new ones. At the same time, information can be obtained in real time in two versions – in graphical visualization or in the form of historical analytics. That is, analytics is also connected here. It helps bring more meaning to the data stored in Big Data, visualize the information so you can make a decision.

Connection / Connection

In order for the device to send information, you need to somehow transfer data between the device and the cloud, otherwise your data will be locked inside the sensor. This can be done in real time via RF or cable, or asynchronously by connecting a PC/smartphone to the device to download them. For clarity, we can draw an analogy with an oil pipeline through which oil flows from a field to a specific industrial facility.

Sensors generate information about the state of assets (location, temperature, light, shock, etc.) constantly, it is transmitted to the platform for storage and analytics. In this regard, the requirement for the network itself also increases: it must withstand the load 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide access to data from devices with a probability of 99,99% at minimal cost. Unlike the 5G network, which works with a large amount of data from a single source, the 0G network involves the receipt of information from a million sensors, which are then processed and analyzed.

Device / Sensors

In order for the entire system to work smoothly and without loss, it is necessary to select devices for specific tasks. Sensors must have an appropriate frequency of messages, and depending on the object, it will be different (the detection threshold, accuracy, and other parameters may change). In addition, the ease of installation of the device and the period of its operation are important so that it coincides with the life cycle of the object on which it will be placed. In this case, maintenance costs will be reduced.

Experience / Experience

The implementation of any solution, including a technological one, requires a deep understanding of the client’s problems, and this requires experience that can be gained by studying and analyzing someone else’s practice, or by doing a large amount of practical work. Creating unique projects from scratch will be quite expensive. Study the experience, perhaps someone somewhere has already successfully solved a similar problem.

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