IoT Architecture and Ecosystem
- [Stanford University]
- Overview
IoT architecture and ecosystem are the structure and components that allow devices, cloud services, and protocols to connect and create an Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem.
IoT architecture is the structure that allows for interconnected devices, cloud services and protocols to create an IoT ecosystem. This network consists of smart sensors, actuators and other connected elements that enable data flow from physical sources through networks into storage in the cloud.
- IoT Architecture
The structure that allows for the connection of devices, cloud services, and protocols. It includes layers that allow data to flow from physical sources through networks and into cloud storage:
- Perception layer: The physical layer that uses sensors to gather information about the environment, such as identifying other smart objects or physical parameters
- Network layer: Also known as the transport or transmission layer, this layer connects to other smart things, network devices, and servers. It uses various networks, such as local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the internet, to transmit data from the device layer to the management layer. The network layer also acts as a bridge between the perception layer and the application layer.
- Application layer: The user-side of the process, where administrators can manage IoT device orchestration, create rule sets, and set service-level agreements. The application layer also allows users to control connected devices and manage the smart ecosystem, such as turning lights on at home with an app.
- Business layer: Also known as the business intelligence (BI) layer, this layer analyzes and processes data from the application layer to provide insights. For example, if an IoT system shows ways to reduce costs or improve productivity, the business layer can make decisions to invest in better equipment or change procedures.
- IoT Ecosystem
The components that make up the IoT ecosystem, which can include devices, security, networks, gateways, the cloud, applications, and users:
- Cloud: Stores and processes data
- Data analytics: Uses machine learning or analytics to analyze data
- Security: Includes security at the device, the cloud, and the channel between the device and the cloud
[More to come ...]
