There is a world of difference between data-rich and knowledge-rich enterprises. Despite a treasure trove of data, the former works largely on instincts; the latter leverages insights. The Internet of Things (IoT), backed by the cloud, is one area where this difference shines through. IoT enables real-time data collection from sensor-embedded devices. However, enterprises with the right know-how and expertise to manage IoT ecosystems glean insights to save costs, serve customers better, and operate efficiently.
Although IoT has been around for years, it is only now, with deeply entrenched digital architectures, that it becomes crucial. IDC predicts enterprise IoT will garner more than $1 trillion in investments in the next two years. However, the return on this investment will hinge on how enterprises can navigate traditional IoT blind spots such as:
- Network: Since wireless connections power IoT ecosystems, network disruptions can derail device communication. A recent network outage at a large Australian telecom service provider led to the train network in Victoria temporarily shutting down because the signaling system flatlined.
- Scalability: IoT ecosystems comprise a growing network of devices and an increasing volume of data. In the absence of proper data management and governance policies, data silos can creep in, triggering scalability issues. Scaling IoT solutions is a niche domain at the intersection of data analytics, cloud, and device management. Lack of committed resources, IoT expertise, and management buy-in are top reasons for limited scalability.
- Reliability: Managing each node in an ever-increasing IoT ecosystem can be daunting, and the availability of cheap sensors and hardware components can lower the quality barrier, triggering issues that could be harder to identify and remediate. It is crucial to consider device reliability when implementing or scaling IoT solutions.
- Security: Each device in an IoT network is a potential failure point. This is crucial since IoT devices are ubiquitous, and a security breach could have life-threatening implications. In 2014, two hackers gained access to the control systems of a Jeep Cherokee and disabled its transmission and brakes, compelling Fiat Chrysler to issue an unprecedented recall of 1.4 million vehicles.
- Compliance: Since IoT systems collect sensitive information, such as precise geolocation, financial account numbers, or health information, data privacy laws apply. Moreover, curtailing unauthorized access to devices is crucial to prevent abuse. In 2015, two patients successfully hacked pain medication drips to increase dosages.
Ride Over IoT Blind Spots with Azure & Persistent
Microsoft Azure has been at the forefront of cloud IoT platforms since 2018, investing more than $5 billion in developing and rolling out targeted, repeatable, and scalable solutions. Azure offers a suite of IoT capabilities that can help enterprises with varying degrees of IoT maturity develop minimal viable products and scale them quickly. Its singular focus on security sets Azure apart from its cloud IoT counterparts. Since most enterprises operate on the Microsoft 365 stack, Azure’s IoT platform is easier to integrate and scale in enterprise-wide operations.
A strategic cloud transformation partner like Persistent can help enterprises confidently leverage Azure’s IoT stack, ensuring the blind spots do not hinder operations or become roadblocks to fully utilizing IoT setups.
- Reliable, Scalable Cloud Architecture: We leverage Azure IoT Hub, with features such as device-to-cloud and cloud-to-device messaging, to ensure data transmission between devices and the Azure IoT platform is reliable and resilient. We help enterprises bring scalability and reliability to their IT implementations by leveraging Azure’s scalable infrastructure, designing robust architectures, implementing redundancy and fault tolerance, conducting thorough testing, and providing ongoing support.
- Secure at the Core: We ensure security is built into enterprise IoT systems by encrypting all communication between devices and the Azure IoT platform using industry-standard protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) to help protect data in transit and prevent unauthorized access. We also leverage Azure IoT security features such as Azure Security Center for IoT, which provides threat intelligence and advanced analytics to detect and respond to security threats. We also implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to ensure that only authorized devices can access the Azure IoT platform.
- Compliance-Ready: Azure has built-in compliance controls and certifications, including SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR-readiness, and Persistent provides compliance guidance to meet evolving regulatory requirements and industry standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
Our team recently collaborated with a healthcare technology provider to implement an innovative IoT-powered Smart Therapy Management solution to track patient progress with devices like Spirometers and Oximeters. We ensured these devices seamlessly integrate with Azure’s IoT platform for real-time data streaming, providing relevant and timely insights.
Our solution relied on Azure PaaS services such as WebApp, WebJob, Scheduled Jobs, and Azure SQL. Additionally, we developed a Salesforce-backed patient monitoring system that the client utilized to manage customer data, sales operations, and marketing campaigns. We also built a reporting mechanism that analyzes raw data and synchronizes the final data with Salesforce. To ensure that the system runs smoothly, we utilized Azure management tools for manual intervention, while our DevOps solution is based on Visual Studio Online.
Borne out of our expertise in healthcare technology, our powerful and comprehensive IoT solution has the potential to revolutionize the way healthcare providers remotely monitor patients. Our solution provided unparalleled insights to the client, enabling them to make informed decisions and intervene timely.
As a Gartner-ranked Challenger in the 2023 Magic Quadrant for Public Cloud IT Transformation Services, Persistent drives global digital transformation projects with its technology and vertical industry expertise. Our 360-degree, over three-decade-long relationship with Azure and in-house IPs and accelerators, make us the preferred partner for enterprises looking for a strategic collaborator to steer complex IoT implementations.
Connect with us here to scale up your IoT projects on Azure.
