The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has created numerous technological advancements in a variety of sectors, including healthcare, fitness, automotive and sports. IoT’s progress is expected to continue, which means more data will be produced, leading to ongoing searches for places to house all of this newly generated information, DevPro Journal reports.
International Data Corporation (IDC) projected that there will be almost 42 billion connected devices by 2025, which will generate 79.4 zettabytes (ZB) of data — from IoT alone. IDC also estimated that the global “datasphere” will reach 175 ZB during that same time period.
The increase in connected device usage and in turn data creation, is the result of these devices becoming more accessible and affordable. Demand for these devices is likely to grow, meaning that enterprise managers have to find somewhere to store a rapidly increasing amount of data if they want to remain competitive in the IoT and big data era.
The list of what enterprises will need to store all of this data from connected devices is not short. First, they’ll need storage devices that are strong enough to host data in “remote and far-flung locations,” DevPro Journal reports. Additionally, the storage must be able to work with on-premises data centers and numerous cloud services. Organizations will also need storage solutions with extra capacity and that are more reliable than their predecessors to manage all of the data that’s coming their way.
How IoT has transformed most sectors
Avoiding connected devices and the avalanche of data they provide is not an option for organizations. The information is too valuable. It offers new insights that could lead to revolutionary applications. In the healthcare sector example, radio-frequency identification (RFID)-powered sensors have helped hospitals create automated processes that can track medication, expensive equipment and staff flows. Patients can be monitored remotely because of IoT and their information can be stored in the cloud and shared amongst doctors in the same network.
Meanwhile, in the farming sector, animals can be given ingestible sensors that let a farmer know if a cow is sick or pregnant. The alert happens through a software app that emails the farmer in real time. IoT sensors can even detect cattle’s fertility period.
IoT devices have also helped improve worker safety, DevPro Journal reports. Sensors can help businesses detect, report and manage safety incidents in the workplace, according to Occupational Health & Safety. Employees can wear connected gas detectors, area monitors and more, allowing for safety information to be analyzed and communicated back to these connected devices in real time.
Proper storage is key to effective IoT
So far, the cloud has played the role of IoT data storage facility, but it likely won’t be enough as more data is generated, according to DevPro Journal. Relying solely on cloud storage could lead to latency and transmission problems, issues with storage costs and security. Business and IT managers will need to take a look at all available storage options as they begin to collect more data.
For companies that don’t have to time to analyze all of their captured data or can’t easily connect the cloud will likely have to consider getting ruggedized mobile storage edge servers or find storage solutions that can manage the excess data that IoT devices collect. This might mean purchasing products with, “high density and flexibility, ruggedness, and lower power consumption at competitive prices,” but it’s necessary in order to keep IoT systems going and to remain competitive.
“IoT innovation enables advances across almost every industry – from professional sports to healthcare – making companies more efficient, competitive and tech-savvy while generating massive amounts of data,” Russell Ruben wrote for DevPro Journal. “Storage is the backbone for businesses hoping to sustain the level of data generation that comes with flourishing IoT innovation and valuable new insights.”
