The Internet of Things is one of most exciting areas in computing history. Business Insider Intelligence estimates that there will be 34 billion connected devices to the internet by 2020. This is an increase of only 10 billion in 2015. Between 2016 and 2021, $6 trillion could be spent on IoT solutions. Businesses, governments, and consumers will all invest heavily in hardware and software that allows new connections and services to flourish.
What can organizations do in order to prepare for the IoT boom? The first step in adapting to IoT is investment. There are many options to get a head start on IoT project development.
1. Take security very seriously
Security is critical because the IoT is embedded in supply chains and factories, as well as IT departments. Stakeholders need to identify vulnerabilities and determine where redundancies should occur.
The good news is that U.S. Department of Homeland Security believes that existing practices from traditional IT security and network security can be used as a starting point for IoT security. IT workers can get widely recognized cybersecurity certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, to acquire the skills needed to protect the infrastructures of the future.
2. Modern networking: Get familiar
The IoT is a massive network that will eventually be governed by leading vendors like Juniper Networks and Cisco. The Manufacturer Usage Description initiative submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force is a good example of how vendors are influencing IoT.
Marc Blackmer, Cisco’s chief security officer, described MUD to The Security Ledger as a novel way to manage “inappropriate” communication between devices while reducing the complexity of scaling networks. MUD also draws on the expertise of network administrators, security vendors, and device manufacturers. IT professionals will find aCisco certification an excellent way to learn more about the vendor’s efforts to modernize IoT networks.
3. Learn more about cloud infrastructure
If networking is the “heart” and provides the networks over which vital information travels, then cloud infrastructure is kind of its “brain,” acting as the control center for many of its applications. Major cloud vendors like Microsoft now provide the resources that network administrators and developers need to run IoT programs on a large scale.
The Azure IoTSuite, which is built on Microsoft’s Azure cloud, lets you connect multiple devices and perform tasks like predictive maintenance (to see when it might break down in future) or remote monitoring (to keep track of assets such as buildings and vehicles). It is becoming more important to have a solid understanding of Azure and the many Microsoft services that connect to it, which can be achieved through a variety certifications.
“Smart home and connected car programs are the most popular IoT applications.”
4. Explore specific applications
Smart home and connected car programs are two of the most popular IoTright applications. It’s not surprising that major software vendors like Apple, Google, and Amazon are making huge pushes in these areas. The IoT is being consumed in a multitude of devices, including the Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Google Home.
In the future, we can expect more popular applications to enter the IoT, including productivity suites, enterprise resource plans systems, and customer relationship management solutions. IT professionals should be able to learn as much as they can about critical tools like Salesforce and Microsoft Office 365 in order to understand their potential roles in the IoT.
Get ready for the IoT by acquiring new IT certifications
Technology professionals are constantly learning and expanding their skills. IT certifications are formal, widely recognized recognitions of your achievements. This can position you for optimal opportunities in IoT infrastructures or applications.
New Horizons offers many certifications in areas relevant to IoT such as security and cloud computing. To get started, find your nearest New Horizons Learning Group centretoday.