The Internet of Things continues to expand. Analysts at Gartner believe roughly 2 billion new devices will gain service this year, bringing the total number of active IoT items to more than 8 billion worldwide. Around 3.1 billion of these devices are expected to support business operations as firms of all sizes invest in the transformative power of wireless administrative and production tools. In fact, information technology departments across the globe anticipate allocating $964 billion toward IoT hardware, according to Gartner.
These projections indicate that businesses have, by and large, embraced the power of IoT technology. However, implementing these cutting-edge devices is no easy task, as adoption teams must not only rejigger backend systems to support users but also adjust associated workflows – technology-focused and otherwise – to accommodate device use. With these complex objectives in mind, organizations must carefully conceive their IoT implementation strategies and work to integrate the technology into the fabric of the operation to harness its full potential. How can prospective adopters execute on these overarching goals and find success?
Prepare for data overload
Enterprises often adopt IoT technology because it can be used to collect actionable operational data, which executives and other key stakeholders can use to optimize the business. While this opens up new opportunities, it also creates complications. IT teams must conceive processes for dealing with an immense influx of new information, according to CIO. This of course involves bolstering networking capabilities, as well as designing collection and storage procedures. Technical personnel must answer salient questions like, "Where can we store incoming data?" and "How long should we keep IoT-generated insights?" These issues and others will shape the development of the backend support systems needed to run advanced workflows predicated on web-enabled mobile technology.
"Firms just joining the IoT bandwagon would be wise to start small."
Start with a small scope
Prospective IoT adopters tend to think big when considering how data-collecting devices might fit into the operation, salivating over high-level sensor technology and massive networks capable of connecting wearable-wielding workforces numbering in the thousands. In reality, few companies have the resources and manpower to facilitate these capabilities. Even those that do are hesitant to go all in on completely new IT setups, as such a move requires relinquishing sunk costs in the form of legacy systems.
Consequently, firms just joining the IoT bandwagon would be wise to start small, according to Gartner. Scaled-down scopes often work best, allowing implementation teams to build around existing platforms with IoT integration options, while leaving room for future growth. This way, adopters can see quick gains and closely monitor their opening forays into IoT so as to better prepare for more extensive efforts down the road.
Focus on security
Data security is a major concern for modern organizations, as hackers and cybercriminals poke and prod systems in search weaknesses. Unfortunately, many of these nefarious database searchers find success. Last year, they executed more than 430 large-scale attacks against American businesses, claiming just over 5.6 million sensitive files, according to research from the Identity Theft Resource Center. IoT adopters must keep this in mind when deploying web-enabled devices whose sole purpose is to transmit company data.
Implementation personnel should work to secure individual devices and give users the knowledge they need to avoid compromising them, CIO reported. Additionally, adopting IoT management is a must, as this software helps IT teams keep track of devices and how they interact with internal networks, enabling them to spot suspicious activity before its too late. Of course, it also comes down to choosing hardware and software vendors that develop secure products designed for use within the workplace.
With these strategies, businesses of all sizes can embrace IoT technology and achieve greater scalability and, hopefully, financial stability. However, those on the outside looking in must first prepare their existing networking environments for this substantial change. How? IT modernization. Inventu offers a variety of solutions capable of easing this process. Our cutting-edge Flynet Viewer makes screen integration and modernization easy, meeting employer and staff expectations in a way that feels both familiar and simple. Review our product page to learn more about the Inventu Flynet Viewer and the other solutions in our portfolio.