Does Your IoT Strategy Have a Connection Problem?

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You’ve heard it everywhere: IoT is a game-changer, a disrupter and a gigantic business opportunity for everyone. That’s all well and good. However, the reality is that many companies have eyes bigger than their stomachs when it comes to the internet of things, and they’re biting off more than they can chew.

Businesses are struggling to scope and deploy IoT initiatives because, compared to the traditional information technology project, they require different hardware and software resources as well as much more integration.

Emerging Tech Adds Complexity
IoT starts with data. But setting up the right infrastructure to collect that data may require a myriad of specialists. Securing a non-standard device or avoiding wireless interference is usually outside the typical IT skillset.

Then consider connections, whether they be cellular data plans or 24/7 internet connections, and the accompanying infrastructure. Don’t forget now that you’ve collected the data, you need to aggregate, store and analyze it in the cloud.

Even ‘Things’ Rely on Interpersonal Communication
IoT challenges traditional business models because these projects typically involve a long list of internal stakeholders and an even longer list of potential service providers. It involves the CEO looking for efficiencies and innovation. The CIO or IT leader tasked with scoping it. The data analysts. The programmers. And the list goes on: project managers, system integrators, operations specialists, installers and business stakeholders.

Plus, most companies say that it can take up to 10 external partners to get an IoT project off the ground. It’s already difficult to get all the pieces of technology to work together seamlessly in an IoT project internally. So, having outside partners who don’t always get along or have enough experience actually deploying IoT projects for businesses only causes more disconnects and further delays.

Once You Deploy, Watch for Security
What’s more, deploying an IoT solution isn’t like putting a product on a shelf. It needs regular maintenance and security updates, as good IoT solutions can flex with business needs and security challenges. A safe protocol today might get hacked tomorrow. A field of sensors could be compromised or marked end-of-life six months after you deploy them globally. You need to be ready to act right away with an updated plan and a clear understanding of exactly which vendor is responsible for doing it.

Having a system that not only builds in security at every layer, but also ensures your IoT solution is future-proofed through lifecycle maintenance means that your IoT solution can be competitive today and stay competitive in the future as this nearly half a trillion dollar market continues to grow.

Get Connected Now
Everyone’s jumping into IoT for the same reason: if you’re not, you’re a dinosaur. While that might be true, that doesn’t mean you should demote your critical thinking skills to the Ice Age, too. Narrow your scope and focus on a solution that you can excel at. Move quickly, nimbly and strategically. Your business approach to IoT needs to function much like the technology itself: keep everything connected, with information flowing quickly and smoothly between all nodes.

To carve out your own niche in the internet of things, learn more about what other innovators are doing in the space through educational resources like Avnet’s IoT University, a digital content hub built to help you stay ahead of the curve — and your competition.