What do you think of when you hear the term, the “Internet of Things”? According to a new report from Server Technology; for some, it conjures up visions of everyday items becoming chock full of semiconductors, “and what once was science fiction is today’s reality.”
Get the full report.
We are living in an increasingly digitized world, that’s a given.
The report points out that we are surrounded by sensors of all kinds — for example, cameras, microphones, radiation badges, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, accelerometers, NFC readers, occupancy sensors and more.
And imagine the amount of data stemming from all of these different sensors; data which will inevitably end up on the Internet.
“Smart Cities around the globe are relying on an ever expanding deployment of IoT devices coupled with forthcoming 5G wireless infrastructure and edge computing to bring new levels of service and information to their citizenry,” Server Technology states.
So, where is the IoT? The report explores this question in detail. The answer today is, “near me.” In fact, as Server Technology points out, the number of IoT devices that fall into the “near me” category are too many to count.
Many of the “near me” devices also fall into the category of the Industrial IoT (IIoT) category, such as factories, treatment plants and public works projects.
The report also delves into the concept of Smart Cities, especially important as more and more of the population resides in cities each year.
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) defines the Internet of Things (IoT) as being “the network of physical objects or ‘things’ embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity to enable objects to exchange data with the manufacturer, operator, owner and/ or other connected devices.”
In Smart Cities, the report states, the IoT relies on a mix of wired and wireless networks such as 4G/5G cellular networks and other wireless data technologies like Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, ZigBee, and LowPAN “to collect data, act on data, and deliver services to the citizens of the city.”
5G is expected to become a standard for linking together disparate IoT devices located around the world.
And edge computing will allow “the promise of 5G to come into being,” Server Technology points out.
Ultimately, the report highlights that the IoT runs — and will run — on intelligent power.
Download the new industry brief, “5G, Smart Cities, and Edge: The IOT in Our Lives,” in which Server Technology discusses the IoT, its relationship to Smart Cities and 5G wireless, and how IoT, Smart Cities, and 5G will require remotely managed intelligent power to deliver on the promises of better information and control, resulting in improved lifestyles and greater efficiency.
Data Center Frontier is edited by Rich Miller, the data center industry’s most experienced journalist. For more than 20 years, Rich has profiled the key role played by data centers in the Internet revolution.