IoT Architecture 101
Tags: Internet, Data Integration, Enterprise Technology, Internet of Things, IoT

1. Defining IoT and Its Value

While the concept of smart devices had been around for some time, the term Internet of Things first gained prominence in 1999 thanks to Bill Joy’s presentation at the World Economic Forum in Davos that year. Today, IoT has become such a hot topic that not a day goes by without some kind of high-profile media coverage. But, what exactly is IoT? To answer this question, we will try to unpack its essential qualities.

Connecting Devices to the Cloud

Generally speaking, IoT means adding value to the way we live and do business by connecting not just computers and smartphones, but various devices to the internet.

So, what exactly are these devices that add value? What kind of value can we acquire? Each person will probably answer these questions differently. In our work, we have the opportunity to discuss IoT with people who hold various points of view. The one thing everybody agrees on is that IoT is a very broad term and that the exact meaning is hard to grasp.

For example, some might think of wearable devices for consumers such as the Apple Watch, while others might talk of remote-controlled large-scale construction equipment. The specifics and points of view are often very different. Perhaps because of these characteristics, there are still many people for who IoT is just another buzzword.

A smartwatch is one well-known example of an IoT device. Image Source: StockSnap via Pixabay.

IoT Is a Tool That Gives Rise to Innovation

So, what are the fundamental properties of IoT? We think of IoT as a method and a tool that facilitates innovation.

For example, when cloud computing arrived on the scene, a lot of people skeptical of the idea questioned its necessity. Why would it be different from existing data centers’ housing models, or from VPS? Is it essential to work with the cloud?

We remember hearing many discussions around questions like these. However, at present, the cloud has become an indispensable option for system infrastructure. Not only that, numerous innovative services and businesses have come into existence that successfully use cloud features.

In the same way, we often hear people question what the difference is between IoT and M2M (machine to machine) or mobile services. We feel they are confusing the true meaning of IoT.

IoT is a tool or a method. The essential quality of an IoT system lies in how much you can innovate by effectively using this tool.

The value that you can add through an IoT system and the way it will change people’s lives depend on the individual or business that uses it. Some might use it for health care, while others might use it for financial payments. The shape and form of IoT differ significantly for each user.

From a practical point of view, IoT is just one method for innovation, but it is a method with limitless potential. We believe it is an option that no enterprise should leave untouched.

Suitable Applications of IoT

Let’s try to break down a little more what value one can think of when using IoT, and then look at types of existing IoT systems and services.

IoT is a tool that provides endless possibilities. In the future, we believe many new systems and services that use IoT properties are going to be created. As for the IoT systems that we can think of now, we can divide them into the following categories.

Payments: Payment with remote devices.

Payment with remote devices. Remote monitoring: Remote support and monitoring of facilities and equipment.

Remote support and monitoring of facilities and equipment. Security: Home security and protection services.

Home security and protection services. Sensing: Collecting sensing data from items and places.

Collecting sensing data from items and places. Smart meters: Measuring devices and controls for electricity, gas, and so on.

Measuring devices and controls for electricity, gas, and so on. Telematics: Information provision services for cars and transport vehicles.

Information provision services for cars and transport vehicles. Tracing: Tracing objects while they are transported, moved, assembled, or processed.

Effectively Using IoT

Similar to the cloud, IoT might be relevant to anyone who is involved with IT systems. We believe the successful use of IoT will be an important factor in dealing with the world of tomorrow. It is a new type of service model, and it, if used effectively, has the potential to change current forms of system architecture.

2. Points to Consider When Building an IoT System

In this section, we will shed some more light on the aspects to consider when building an IoT system.

An Overview of IoT

From home security to factory automation, IoT can be used for various things that surround us. However, no matter how many scenarios you can think of, the factors that make-up IoT are almost always the same. The figure below gives an overview of IoT.

IoT can be divided into two major categories:

Machine-to-machine (M2M) connection Machine to human (M2H) connection

A typical example of M2M would be a remote monitoring system to manage or control a smart meter for electricity management or construction equipment from a distance. This is useful for making an intelligent analysis of the network, a development that is drawing attention along with the liberalization of electrical retail.

Under M2H we can classify wearable devices, such as devices attached to a person’s wrist or leg to monitor the number of calories burned or steps taken. These systems are mainly constructed based on a cloud platform. To efficiently manage a large number of devices or data, you need a highly scalable platform such as a cloud.

However, a cloud platform is only infrastructure. You need applications to make a system work and to manage it. For tasks such as analyzing or controlling, applications are built on a cloud platform. By combining multiple elements in this way, IoT is realized.

The Elements of IoT

Let’s look more closely at the elements that make up IoT. As we explained before, IoT consists of three layers: device, cloud, and application.

First, data is collected or transferred through a SIM card and/or a wireless connection from a device such as a sensor or a smartphone. The transferred information is then stored in a database or a file in the cloud. After that, the application retrieves the stored data and then carries out analyses, visualization, and simulations.

What is important here, is that the data can be exchanged across all the layers. This means that if data cannot be thoroughly integrated between the device, the cloud, and the application, the IoT system will not work.

Furthermore, data integration must be possible between elements that have not been connected before — that is, between devices and the cloud.

Data Integration Is the Key

A fundamental issue in IoT is the degree to which data integration is possible. Situations might exist where sensor devices can only communicate through a short-distance wireless connection or where data is transferred through a low-quality, unstable 3G/LTE connection. To deal with these circumstances, data integration needs to be scalable, efficient, and reliable.

IoT is a data-centric system.

In other words, data collection and data integration are inseparable functions of an IoT system. They are the keys which make IoT possible. Therefore, the most important step when building an IoT system is to think about how you are going to collect and integrate data.

3. IoT Architecture Examples: Device-to-Cloud and Using Gateway

By now, you have probably grasped the general idea behind IoT so we can imagine you want to see some examples of specific IoT architecture.

About IoT Architecture

In IoT, the system architecture is based on how data is collected and integrated. The design of the cloud will vary depending on the tasks performed after data has been received. But because there is no significant difference with conventional system architecture, we want to focus on data collection and data integration here.

The existing IoT system architecture that we have been involved with so far can be divided into four major categories.

Device-to-Cloud Using Gateway Using Mobile Using Server

Below, we will introduce the former two categories.

Device-to-Cloud

This type of architecture is perhaps the simplest, and easiest to imagine. It merely allows data to be sent from a sensor or device directly into the cloud.

The characteristics of this method can be summed up as follows.

Advantages:

Can be set up relatively quickly.

The architecture requires little modification as the number of devices increases.

Allows for flexible data handling in the cloud.

Disadvantages:

The maintenance costs climb as the number of devices increases.

When the data from each device differs, any subsequent action needs to take place in the cloud.

Re-sending data has to be handled on the device side.

Battery consumption is high, making it impractical.

Using an IoT Gateway

Because Device-to-Cloud architecture requires devices to have a certain amount of performance, the cases in which it can be used are limited.

To use primitive devices such as sensor chips, you will need to add an IoT gateway before data transfer. This allows data to be forwarded after it has been aggregated once. We will refer to this type of architecture herein as Using Gateway.

The characteristics of this method can be summed up as follows.

Advantages:

Short-range communication can be used to reduce the load on the device.

Requires minimal device setup when the number of devices increases.

Data transfer is easy to control (re-sending, filtering, etc.)

Devices can be managed in groups.

Disadvantages:

Higher costs.

Device management requires a separate structure.

When the gateway fails the entire group of devices becomes unusable.

Conclusion

We have introduced two types of architecture with IoT characteristics.

We believe the characteristics of IoT systems are as follows.

The number of data collection points (the number of devices) is very large.

Devices are not expected to have high performance.

Devices may break down (requiring you to consider a device’s replaceability).

This means that to create an IoT system, you need to build a scalable and cloud-intensive architecture.