Top IOT Platforms

Top IOT Platforms

 

 

What is an IOT Platform ?

In simple words the purpose of any IoT device is to connect with other IoT devices and applications (cloud-based mostly) to relay information using internet transfer protocols.
The gap between the device sensors and data networks is filled by an IoT Platform. Such a platform connects the data network to the sensor arrangement and provides insights using backend applications to make sense of plethora of data generated by hundreds of sensors.
In light of the possibilities that internet of things is offering tech companies has started capitalizing it. There are many IoT platforms available now that provide option to deploy internet of things applications on the go.
While there are hundreds of companies and a few startups venturing into IoT platform development, players like Amazon and Microsoft are way ahead of others in the competition. Read on to know about top 10 IoT platforms you can use for your applications.

1) Amazon Web Services (AWS) IOT 

Last year Amazon announced the AWS IoT platform at it s Re:Invent conference. Main features of AWS IoT platform are:

• Registry for recognizing devices
• Software Development Kit for devices
• Device Shadows
• Secure Device Gateway
• Rules engine for inbound message evaluation

According to Amazon, their IoT platform will make it a lot easier for developers to connect sensors for multiple applications ranging from automobiles to turbines to smart home light bulbs.
Taking the scope of AWS IoT to the next level, the vendor has partnered with hardware manufacturers like Intel, Texas Instruments, Broadcom and Qualcomm to create starter kits compatible with their platform.

2) Microsoft Azure IOT 

Microsoft is very much interested in bringing up products for internet of things. For the initiative the Microsoft Azure cloud services compatible IoT platform, the Azure IoT suite is on the offer. Features included in this platform are:

• Device shadowing
• A rules engine
• Identity registry
• Information monitoring

For processing the massive amount of information generated by sensors Azure IoT suite comes with Azure Stream Analytics to process massive amounts of information in real-time.

3) ThingWorx IOT Platform 

In vendor’s own words, “ThingWorx is the industry’s leading Internet of Things (IoT) technology platform. It enables innovators to rapidly create and deploy game-changing applications, solutions and experiences for today’s smart, connected world.”
Thingsworx is an IoT platform which is designed for enterprise application development. It offers features like:

• Easy connectivity of devices to the platform
• Remove complexity from IoT application development
• Sharing platform among developers for rapid development
• Integrated machine learning for automating complex big data analytics
• Deploy cloud, embedded or on-premise IoT solutions on the go.

4) IBM Watson

We can never expect the Big Blue to miss on the opportunity to making a mark in the internet of things segment. IBM Watson is an IoT platform which is pretty much taken among developers already. Backed by IBM’s hybrid cloud PaaS (platform as a service) development platform, the Bluemix, Watson IoT enables developers to easily deploy IoT applications.
Users of IBM Watson get:

• Device Management
• Secure Communications
• Real Time Data Exchange
• Data Storage
• Recently added data sensor and weather data service.

5) Cisco IOT Cloud

Cisco’s IoT platform is for mobile operators offering:

• Voice and data connectivity
• SIM lifecycle management
• IP session control
• Customizable billing and reporting

Lately Cisco also partnered with National Farmers’ Federation in Australia to provide internet of things in agriculture solutions.


6) Salesforce IOT Cloud

Salesforce’s IoT platform is powered by Thunder and is focused entirely on customer engagement. According to the official announcement the platform following features:

• Sales-Creating sales orders and capturing potential opportunities
• Services-Request and order repairs automatically
• Marketing-Notifies customers through texts directly on their devices
• Apps-Automatic inspections of inventory. 

 

7) Carriots Cloud

Helping to build and host internet of things applications, Carriots is a PaaS platform. It is slowly gaining popularity among the users due to its ease of integration with other applications. It also widely used for Machine to Machine development.
It offers following functionalities:

• Device management
• SDK application engine
• Debug and logs
• API key management
• Data export feature
• Custom alarms
• Customer hierarchy levels
• User management
• Custom control panel

 

8) Oracle Integrated Cloud

Offering big data analysis for real-time IoT data, device virtualization, endpoint management and high speed messaging, Oracle’s Integrated Cloud platform is offering an analytics platform for IoT applications. Users can receive the notifications directly on their devices.

According to the vendor their IoT platform is:

• Faster to market
• Integrated
• Real time insight
• Secure and scalable for real-time IoT data, device virtualization, endpoint management and high speed messaging, Oracle’s Integrated Cloud platform is offering an analytics platform for IoT applications. Users can receive the notifications directly on their devices.

According to the vendor their IoT platform is:

• Faster to market
• Integrated
• Real time insight
• Secure and scalable