IoT: What, Where, When, Why, How

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a major industry trend in the telecom industry and beyond. It is generally agreed there is no shortage of potential on many different fronts. IoT brings the potential for businesses to be much more efficient due to the ability to analyze data that was previously locked within non-IoT enabled equipment. This data analysis can inform decisions about maintenance and resource allocation, particularly in an industrial context. Access to this data also has the potential to reduce costs through consolidation of equipment and control services. I believe there is also a broader implication that the Internet of Things will be used to collectively make our lives better in ways we have yet to discover. It’s scope is massive and begs the question, “where do I start?”

While we may not be able to predict all the ways IoT will benefit our lives there are a few questions you can answer to set the right course.

The first question to answer is the “why.” What is your intention as you build your piece of the IoT? This can be the why for your business as well as the why for you the individual, which may be something different. What mark do you wish to make on the world and how can you incorporate that in your work?

Intention is powerful, without it there would only be random action. Setting an intention deliberately will influence how you approach a project, and can have a profound affect on the outcome.

A second is to consider the “what.” What is it you are trying to achieve? What are the real opportunities for your technology to contribute to and benefit from? What are those opportunities right now vs. years from now?

The third, fourth, and fifth questions are “where,” “when,” and “how.” Virtualization is a critical component of IoT but where is it needed now, and how should it be deployed? As you work to deliver the benefits of IoT, how do you get the most from the technologies you deploy to enable the result you are trying to achieve and where should you focus your efforts first?

As mentioned before, IoT is a massive undertaking and to help make sense of it all we recently sponsored a white paper written by Heavy Reading’s Steve Bell. While leaving the “why” up to you, we can help you understand the “what” “where” and “how.” Virtualization: A Critical Capability for Service Provider Success in IoT, 5G, and Beyond addresses these questions and discusses some of the key components to consider.  We also produced a web seminar on the same topic.

Read the white paper now to understand:

• What are the key IoT opportunities for CSPs now?
• Where are critical applications needed at the edge, and the fog?
• When is the right time to deploy which solution?
• How having a strong virtualization strategy is critical for success – regardless of your why.