There are several types of IoT platforms that are currently available, each with its own set of features and capabilities, so the best IoT platform for you and your organisation may be different depending on what you're looking to achieve.
Common IoT platform types used in industrial and commercial settings include:
- Device Management Platforms: These platforms are used to manage and monitor IoT devices, including provisioning, software updates, and security. They also provide tools for troubleshooting and diagnostics. Examples of device management platforms include Rayven, AWS IoT, and Microsoft Azure IoT.
- Data Management Platforms: These platforms are used to collect, store, and analyse data from IoT devices. They provide tools for data visualization, reporting, and analytics. Examples of data management platforms include Rayven, AWS IoT Analytics, and Microsoft Azure Stream Analytics.
- Connectivity Platforms: These platforms are used to provide connectivity for IoT devices, including support for various communication protocols. They also provide tools for device provisioning, security, and management. Examples of connectivity platforms include Rayven, AWS IoT Core, Google and Microsoft Azure IoT Hub.
- Application Enablement Platforms: These platforms provide a set of tools and services for building and deploying IoT applications, including support for device management, data management, and connectivity. They also provide a development environment and SDKs for building IoT applications. Examples of application enablement platforms include Rayven, AWS IoT Greengrass, Google Cloud IoT Edge, and Microsoft Azure IoT Edge.
- Business Platforms: These platforms provide tools for integrating IoT data and applications with existing business systems, such as CRM and ERP systems. They also provide tools for process automation, analytics, and visualization. Examples of enablement platforms include Rayven, IBM Watson IoT, and AWS IoT.
There are a handful of comprehensive platforms, like Rayven, that include all of the above capabilities and platform types called an integrated data, AI + IoT platform. You may also have noticed with the Google, AWS and Microsoft options that there are different systems and modules that need stitching together to create an all-in-one solution. This approach adds complexity, time and, critically, additional set-up and ongoing costs.
What's the best IoT platform and what to look for when selecting one?
The best IoT platform for your business will depend on your specific needs and requirements. It is important to consider some key factors:
- Flexibility / customisation capabilities
- Scalability
- Security
- Integration / Interoperability
- Device and data management
- Level of support and services offered by the platform provider.
An important aspect to consider when choosing an IoT platform is the level of customisation and flexibility it offers. Some platforms offer prebuilt solutions and templates, while others offer more flexibility for customisation, white labelling and development. This is important to consider depending on the specific use case and requirements of your business. Rayven does both, enabling you to use the Rayven integrated data, AI + IoT platform to build your own IoT solutions using drag-and-drop, as well as the option to IoT solutions for industry that enable you to get started faster and more affordably.
Another important aspect when choosing an IoT platform is the level of scalability. As IoT deployments grow and evolve over time, businesses need to ensure that the platform they choose can scale to support the increasing number of devices and data points. This means considering the platform's ability to handle a large number of concurrent connections, data storage, and processing capabilities. Rayven is infinitely scalable (find out more).
Security is also a key consideration. IoT devices and systems often handle sensitive data and control critical infrastructure, so it is important to ensure that the platform is designed with robust security measures to protect against cyber attacks. This includes encryption, firewalls, and other security measures, as well as compliance with industry standards and regulations. Discover our platform's security credentials here.
It’s also critical to consider the level of support and services offered by the platform provider. This includes the availability of documentation, tutorials, and other resources, as well as the level of technical support and assistance provided. This is important to ensure that your business can successfully implement and maintain the platform over time - AWS, Microsoft and other providers often lack the ability to speak to them directly or frequently about your needs for all but the largest enterprises.
Finally and most importantly, it’s critical to consider the potential for integration with existing systems and infrastructure. This includes integration with existing data management systems, such as databases and analytics platforms, as well as integration with existing business systems, such as CRM and ERP systems. This will ensure that the IoT platform can provide real-time insights and operational efficiencies that can be leveraged across the entire organisation. Discover our platform's unrivalled integration capabilities here.
In summary, there are several types of IoT platforms available each with its own set of features and capabilities, as well as advanced platforms that contain all those capabilities in a single piece of IoT software. The best IoT platform for your business will depend on your specific needs and requirements, so it's important to consider factors such as scalability, security, interoperability, device management, and connectivity when selecting yours, as well as the level of support and services offered by the platform provider.
Speak to us today to get help with getting started with IoT platforms.