IBM Watson IoT Platform Could Be The Platform of Platforms

For machine learning, cognitive computing, and advanced calculations

Over the last several years, IBM has built a robust portfolio of data, cloud, and information management services. The addition of Watson provides the cognitive computing, machine intelligence, and learning to allow organizations to derive meaningful analysis from the data generated by IoT endpoints.

Libraries and agents to ensure a constant connection and harmonized data formats

IBM Watson IoT Platform seeks to be an end-to-end platform that provides all of the tools and services to facilitate digital transformation, enhance customer experiences, drive innovation, and contain costs.

For this paradigm shift to kick into gear, end-users and organizations will need and expect IoT to run on one, all-encompassing platform. This holistic platform of platforms will provide business value because it will link IoT endpoints to the analytics, and applications organizations need to generate business outcomes. While there are already hundreds of platforms in the IoT ecosystem, the vast majority are not engineered to be truly holistic IoT platforms.

There are many kinds of platforms for the Internet of Things, but there is no end-all, be-all of platforms yet. In many ways, IoT (and the various platforms on which it runs) are all at the same stage. At the moment, IoT is in the stage of development that search engines were in before Google emerged as the clear search engine to end all search engines.

The IBM Watson IoT Platform encompasses all of the key components and elements in one offering and has laid the foundation to become a true IoT Platform of Platforms.

According to a recent opinion published by the IDC, IBM, with its Watson IoT Portfolio, has laid the foundation for a true IoT Platform of Platforms. The Watson IoT Portfolio is a platform with the capacity to provide a hub for organizations, platform providers, and other participants in the IoT marketplace.

The ability to serve real-time graphical depiction of sensor data

IBM Watson IoT Platform Could Be The Platform of Platforms

The 8 Components of a Holistic IoT Platform:

To better understand the need for a holistic IoT platform, lets take a deeper look at what features and capabilities are needed, and why they are important.

For extensibility, reporting, prototyping, and access management

Remote software and backend tools for device deployment, status, and updates

According to some estimates, there are more than300 platforms already in the IoT ecosystem. However, the vast majority of these are too narrow in scope and focus to be a truly holistic IoT Platform.

There are many reasons why IoT needs a comprehensive platform, or a center point to integrate IoT solutions and provide additional capabilities. Perhaps the most compelling reason why is that it will allow for the collection and meaningful analysis of the data generated at IoT endpoints.

The 5 Elements of a Holistic IoT Platform:

An IoT platform is also referred to as a middleware solution andprovides the infrastructure for IoT. Most IoT platforms are an amalgam of functions, which include software for data translation and analysis, a communications network, and an end application service.

Cloud-based APIs to facilitate the development of applications

According to IoT Analytics, the global market for the Internet of Things will grow to$1.6 billion by 2021. IoT is positioned to create the same kind of paradigm shift that the internet did in the 1990s. It has the potential to completely revolutionize the way we live, work, socialize, and play. IoT will also facilitate new advancements in critical fields, like medicine, water conservation, population health, and energy consumption.

Rule engine to enable real-time response to device and sensor data

Gateways, APIs, and SDKs that act as interfaces for third party systems

A Center Point for Connectivity and Analysis

Dashboard and tools for management and analysis

Provide seamless, secure connection for IoT devices in any location

Now, the heat is on. According to IDC, a true IoT Platform of Platforms is set to emerge in the next few years. IBM seems poised to win the coveted prize of IoT Platform of Platforms. This may sound like hyperbole, but there is mounting evidence to support this claim.

Ensure the ongoing ability to provision, update, and manage devices

Deliver meaningful analysis for data generated by IoT endpoints

The IDC estimates that over 80% of theinvestment in IoT through 2020will be spent on use cases and B2B applications. IoT will be a critical driver of the digital transformation that enterprises will undertake in the next few years. Organizations will use IoT to enhance customer experiences, contain costs, improve work processes, and improve productivity. A key component for the delivery of truly immersive customer experiences that are cost-effective, secure, manageable, and meaningful is a truly holistic IoT platform.

For an IoT Platform to qualify as holistic or comprehensive, it must be comprised of the following 8 components and5 elements.

Click hereto read IDCs detailed white paper on the IBM Watson IoT Platform.

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