5 Things You Need to Know about IoT Architecture
Posted on Mar 07, 2022 at 08:03 PM
The internet of things Architecture or IoT architecture represents the surprisingly big and great revolutions that interact with our lives on different levels.
Living in 2022, you must deal with IoT architecture in many devices; even though IoT architecture could be a new term for you, IoT systems and IoT devices exist in our lives more than you can imagine, even though IoT architecture is moving slower than expected. Still, it will be essential in our future life.
Suppose you are interested in knowing more about the famous IoT Architecture. In this article, we will explore the topic of IoT Architecture and see five things that you need to know about it.
About IoT Architecture:
IoT architecture refers to different physical devices that collect and share data through the internet without any human involvement. IoT architecture consists of networked devices (such as sensors and smartphones), gateways (which connect devices to the cloud) and backend systems (like application servers and databases).
This IoT architecture is different for every company because it depends on factors such as what type of devices you're using, your current infrastructure, how much data you'll need to process, security requirements and whether you plan to scale up your system over time.
For example, you might have heard about using Amazon's Echo and Alexa to control your home with your voice.
Alexa collects information from its user command and sends it to a server that will do the job for us. It sounds like magic since we could control our device without going near it, such as lights, doors, music players and so on.
Alexa collects information from its user command and sends it to a server that will do the job for us. It sounds like magic since we could control our device without going near it, such as lights, doors, music players and so on.
The Stages of IoT Architecture:
With the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, you can collect data from many devices and analyse that data, which helps you take the right action at the right time. Although IoT architecture looks simple as an action taken based on collected data and becoming more critical in our lives, it is a system of numerous stages and analysing to take the right action at the right time:
The first thing to know about IoT architecture is that there are four layers:
Sensors and Actuators:
Sensors and Actuators are where all devices are located. These devices can be sensors, smartphones, or any other device with a wireless connection. The wireless connection allows these devices to connect to the internet to send and receive data.
Gateways and Data:
A key component of IoT architecture is the gateway that connects all the devices or machines into one network. Gateways can connect devices over wired or wireless networks. The exemplary gateway can take care of data aggregation, data analytics, device management, reporting and alerting.
Edge Analytics:
IoT architecture's critical stage analyses data, reduces its size and delivers it to the cloud and data centre for further analysis.
This stage helps real-time action to be taken faster and on time.
Cloud and Data Centre:
The brain stage for the whole IoT system where data is stored, processed and analysed for more profound elements are analysed, and decisive actions were taken at the end of the IoT system to make the physical reaction in the real world.
The Layers of IoT Architecture:
So, to talk more about the architecture of IoT and understand IoT system basics, we could divide the entire system into three main layers:
Perception layer: The same sensors, actuators, and other devices collect data and metrics.
Network layer: The network layer is responsible for handling the communication between different devices in the IoT system. This layer should provide a means of communicating with various remote devices. In some cases, this communication may be to a remote server, while in others, it may be to another device that is part of the IoT system.
The network layer is an essential component of any IoT system because it allows information to travel from one device to another or a centralised location for further processing or storage. It also needs to connect devices, interacting and producing results.
Application layer: The internet of things architecture systems that the user interacts with to take the needed action.
IoT Architecture Problems and Errors:
IoT architecture is not just a matter of sensors, devices and networks, but it's also about the application layer that connects data to the end-user.
Even though using digital transformation is essential, IoT architecture worries about security IoT services. That includes the three different IoT architecture layers with weak security, encrypt and protect the collected data from our own houses, to protect privacy and safety from hackers.
IoT devices are becoming more and more involved in our lives, so solving those worries of IoT systems is becoming more necessary than ever.
The following is an overview of the errors and challenges facing the IoT architecture technology:
- Data is not collected correctly: Data collection is an essential process in IoT architecture. You should use a system that can store large amounts of data. However, if the data is not collected correctly, it won't be easy to analyse and visualise. So, how to collect data effectively?
- Incorrect data storage: Do you know that IoT systems can save up numerous gigabytes of data per day? What if the storage capacity does not meet your requirements? To avoid this situation, you should use a scalable storage solution for your system. This solution has high scalability and can grow in parallel with increasing demand.
- Insufficient bandwidth: Bandwidth plays a vital role in transmitting data from devices to servers. Low bandwidth makes it difficult to transmit and receive information quickly. Therefore, you need to have high bandwidth for smooth operation.
IoT Architecture Examples:
An IoT system should be robust and scalable for potential future upgrades. The system should handle new demands as time goes by and make sure nothing interferes with its performance.
IoT systems are not only in the intelligent future houses but in different details to make life easier and suitable for us:
1- Smart Home Services
Innovative home services can regulate the temperature in your home, control the lights and even turn on or off your appliances. For instance, you can stop your heating system or air conditioning when you leave the house. You can also dim your lights automatically before you go to bed.
2- Smart Buildings
Intelligent buildings are equipped with IoT technologies that can monitor the environment and provide data about the building's performance. Building managers can control and monitor lighting and heating systems remotely with this data. They can also control water consumption and improve security.
3- Smart City Services
Innovative city services use sensors to collect data from different urban environments such as traffic flow, weather conditions, energy consumption or public safety. Based on this information, cities can better manage water and energy supply resources.
4- Health caring:
A band with a suitable sensor to measure sugar level, blood pressure, and heart rate could be lifesaving for any patient.
We all heard about the Apple Watch that saved the unconscious man's life.
5- Cars:
As we all know, cars have become more intelligent with sensors to measure speed and distance from other cars and objects surrounding them. But still, there are many more ways to use IoT technology in cars, like monitoring a driver's health by measuring heart rate or blood pressure to detect if he can drive enough.
Conclusion,
The internet of things architecture is a developed system to make our lives easier and safer in houses, roads, and workplaces.
We can help you stay ahead of the curve by providing training courses that will keep your skills up-to-date with the latest developments in smart cities design training courses in London. Start thinking about IoT today; don't wait until it's too late!
