From wearable devices to cars, the use of connected objects is growing and it will become increasingly important for companies to be able to implement, maintain and ensure the operation and monitoring of networks .
In light of the growing popularity of IoT in the professional and home environments, a network failure can have a disastrous effect on productivity and significantly compromise the entire customer experience.
1. Having a clear picture of what IoT means for your business
IoT will transform some businesses more than others. For a professional services company, the problem might be the integration of a smart thermostat. smart thermostatwhile for a manufacturing company the challenge might revolve around unifying different systems, machines and devices. Network administrators will be at the forefront of the integration process and will play a decisive role in making connected devices functional and useful.
2. Preparing for integration
While some connected devices will be mass-produced and designed to integrate seamlessly into networks, others will be created in-house with a high degree of customisation. With such different types of devices, integration becomes a challenge. It is therefore crucial that all connected devices are brought together under one roof so that they can be monitored accurately.
3. Understanding connection protocols
Three main protocols are used to connect to the Internet of Things: Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), REST API and XML. A better understanding of the interaction between devices will allow more sophisticated architectures to be designed, making network monitoring much easier.
4. Remember that not all objects are of the latest generation
Not all connected devices represent the most powerful and latest generation hardware. Many devices are obsolete, especially in industrial environments, or are connected via small computers such as Raspberry Pi. You need to know the different hardware requirements and understand how to connect the necessary devices, even if they date back to the last century.
5. Being flexible
The Internet of Things is probably the biggest challenge facing network administrators after cloud services and BYOD. Top management will undoubtedly be under pressure to manage the 'new big change' in IT. Patience and flexibility are needed to deal with the complex issues raised by the need to monitor a network of connected devices.
6. Planning proactively
Planning is a valuable ally for network monitoring. The advent of BYOD has had a major impact on networks and bandwidth, and the same will happen with the Internet of Things. To ensure network uptime and availability, the bandwidth usage of connected devices must be planned.
7. Recognise that any device with an IP address can be hacked
The security of an IoT network is measured by its weakest endpoint. Each connected device is a potential route into the network, so it is imperative that network managers can monitor all devices (new and old), to detect the presence of any unauthorised devices that could pose a risk. To access the functionality and data of a connected device, hackers target three things: devices and hardware, cloud infrastructure, which conceptually includes IoT supervisors via servers, and the communication network. Today's hackers are unscrupulous and creative - a dangerous mix of qualities for IT departments. Any device with an IP address can be hacked, and the IoT widens the threat vector.
8. Customise as much as possible
One of the most interesting aspects of the IoT is the fact that the possibilities of connection are virtually unlimited. From a network monitoring perspective, this poses challenges that can only be solved by creating new sensors and customised reports. This is particularly exciting in industrial environments, where data from devices can be used to make business processes smarter and more efficient.
9. Keeping everything in order
Modern IT systems are often chaotic. It is amazing how easy it has become to start a virtual machine, download and run software from the cloud and now connect a device. Mapping and tracking every 'thing' that is added to the network as soon as it happens will avoid many headaches in the future.
10. Thinking in perspective
In most companies, projects for connected devices usually start on a small scale and do not have major consequences. In the long run, however, it may happen that the connected world provides new data and information about the company's activities that can become drivers of decisions. The responsibility of the managers will be to collect and analyse that data and turn it into strategic information, i.e. to have a plan for what will become crucial in the future even if what is happening at the moment is not so relevant.
