What is “The Internet of Things” ?

by Daniel Stockman, i-Tech Support, Inc

A buzzword, the Internet of Things refers to a number of devices including wearables, SmartPhones, and simple sensors connected together. A term first coined by entrepreneur Kevin Ashton in the latter part of the 1990s, the Internet of Things is simply defined as the connection of devices to the internet.

‘Thing’ in the Internet of Things can refer to a number of things including kitchen appliances, cars and heart rate monitors. In simple terms, kitchen appliances, cars and hear rate monitors are the Internet of Things devices i.e. devices that can be controlled from a remote location. When it comes to the Internet of Things, key terms to know about and remember include the Internet of Things ecosystem, the physical layer, the network layer, the application layer, remotes, dashboard, and networks.

The “Internet of Things” is simply defined as the connection of devices to the internet.

The IoT Ecosystem

The Internet of things or IoT ecosystem refers to all the components that allow consumers, businesses, and governments to connect to their IoT devices. The components that make up the IoT ecosystem include networks, dashboards, remotes, data storage, analytics, security, and gateways.

The Physical Layer

The physical layer of IoT refers to the hardware used to set up an IoT device. Examples of physical layer include networking gear and sensors.

The Network Layer

The network layer in the Internet of Things refers to the network used to transfer the data gathered by the physical layer to the different devices.

The Application Layer

Used by devices to identify and communicate with one another, the application layer in the Internet of Things is a layer made up of interfaces and protocols.

Remotes

Of all the components that make up the IoT ecosystem, remotes are one of the most important. The remotes allow entities to connect with and control the IoT devices via a dashboard. Examples of IoT remotes are PCs, tablets, Smartphones, and Smartwatches while mobile application is an example of a dashboard.

Dashboard

As mentioned above, Dashboard in IoT refers to software through which you connect to and control the IoT devices. The dashboard is an application that displays information which you can use to control the devices in your IoT ecosystem.

Networks

An internet communication layer, the network is used by entities to communicate with their devices and enable devices to communicate with one another.

There you have it—the key terms related to the Internet of Things to know about and remember. Considering the aforementioned information, it is easy to see why Cisco has incorporated the ‘Internet of things’ in their brand message. In case you didn’t know it already, the brand message of Cisco lays special emphasis on the ‘possibilities of the Internet of Everything’.

According to Cisco, the Internet of Everything or the Internet of Things as we know it, has the potential to bring together people, data, process, and things to make connectivity more valuable and relevant than ever before. With this change in brand positioning and company strategy, Cisco hopes to benefit all of its valued partners.

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