Understanding IoT pipes and platforms

• New IoT platform selection tool launched
• Designed to help IoT new entrants navigate the more than 400 platforms currently available

UK M2M/IoT specialist, Beecham Research and IoT Global Network claim they’ve launched the first independent online IoT navigation tool.  The tool is designed to help IoT explorers and adopters navigate the plethora of IoT platforms currently out there, ranging across the Application Development, Data management, Device management, Communications service layer, networks and infrastructure and the Sensors/Actuators/Devices and Gateways layer (see diagram).

The free tool can be explored here

Beecham reckons there are currently over 400 IoT platforms on the market and still growing quickly.

“The IoT platform has become an important starting point for building IoT solutions, but with so many now on the market it is a highly confusing starting point,” said Robin Duke-Woolley, CEO of Beecham Research. “In addition, IoT platforms are going through a fast rate of development with frequent updates, acquisitions and re-brandings. They are also becoming increasingly sophisticated as well as more specialised. For those who do not understand the subtleties, this adds greatly to the confusion, which then acts as a brake on market development.”

IoT platforms provide the middleware to facilitate secure monitoring, control and analysis of device and sensor data along with integration to enterprise IT systems and as such are quickly becoming an essential element of IoT solutions in order to reduce time to market and development costs.

The aim of the new IoT navigation tool is to help accelerate IoT market growth by assisting adopters to make informed decisions about which platforms are most likely to meet their requirements at any particular time. It does not seek to recommend one platform over others, but it does narrow the field to a level that adopters can manage effectively. By providing a short list of platforms most likely to be of interest to each individual user enquiry, it is part of the learning process and means that adopters can commence a more valuable dialogue with the most appropriate vendors at an earlier stage. “We strongly believe this is of benefit not only for adopters but for vendors as well, leading to better-informed decision-makers, more qualified sales opportunities and shorter sales cycles,” said Duke-Woolley.