What is IoT Device Management?

The basic requirements of IoT device management can be broken down into the following five categories:

For a device to become part of the IoT, it first needs to be properly connected to the internet. In terms of IoT device management, the onboarding stage consists of authentication and provisioning. Authentication includes verifying the credentials of every proposed device, rejecting those that do not meet authentication standards. During authentication, the device establishes a secure connection between itself and the IoT system or platform, and if its credentials are valid, it receives additional configuration data. Provisioning is the overall process of enrolling the device into the system. Effective provisioning is not only a necessary step for new businesses trying to get up and running quickly; it’s also essential to accelerating time to market on specific projects and ensuring that new devices don’t open the organisation up to attack.

Although most devices are shipped with some level of standard preconfiguration, it is unlikely that these ‘factory settings’ are the optimal configurations for the organisation or the specific use case (such as the device’s deployment location or its role). IoT device management must be capable of further configuring connected devices to better function within the organisation’s IoT ecosystem.

Even properly authenticated and configured IoT devices may not remain positioned to function optimally over long periods of time. Firmware updates might introduce bugs, new security vulnerabilities may be discovered, or the scope of certain projects may simply change. IoT maintenance exists to ensure that these devices in the field may be updated when needed, so that they remain current and secure.

Going hand in hand with maintenance, IoT diagnostics allow organisations to closely monitor their connected devices to reduce the risk of downtime, security failures, firmware bugs etc. At the same time, proper diagnostics gives companies the information they need to employ predictive maintenance, incorporating advanced analytics and revealing key insights and root causes, before small issues can grow into significant problems.

Taken together, onboarding, configuration, maintenance and diagnostics are capable of supporting and optimising IoT devices throughout their entire use life. But what happens when that use life is ended? When projects reach completion or individual devices become obsolete, IoT device management is responsible for decommissioning devices in a way that is both secure and cost effective. Often, replacement devices must also be prepared to step in and take over for the decommissioned ones. The goal of end-of-life management is to minimise the risks of data leaks, system downtime and security issues arising from a temporarily compromised system.

IoT device management is not limited only to those organisations with extremely large IoT ecosystems; it may be effectively used across a variety of industries and applications. That said, the most-common applications include the following:

With IoT device management, businesses can connect entire fleets of industrial devices quickly, accurately and with a minimum amount of effort. Detailed device monitoring makes it possible to track performance metrics and detect potential issues across entire industrial sectors, making configuration adjustments where needed.

With IoT device management, organisations can easily group entire commercial device fleets hierarchically, based on a range of categories. These categories include security requirements, function, location and more. IoT device management also makes it possible to put individual devices under the microscope or take a more encompassing approach and take actions across an entire fleet.

Traditionally, consumer IoT devices are more difficult to manage. IoT device management facilitates effective governance of devices already deployed in the field, allowing organisations to send updates and patches, and to improve device functionality without negatively affecting the user experience.

Although the specific capabilities of IoT device management may vary from platform to platform, most IoT device management options generally provide organisations with the following capabilities:

IoT device management acts as a central hub from which to communicate with deployed devices in real time. Operators can send and receive important information, either over the web using the HTTP protocol, or directly between devices with the MQTT protocol.

IoT management allows organisations to define essential workflows using the data collected by connected devices. Data-defined workflows help promote more effective and efficient actions.

Properly managed, IoT devices are capable of providing their operators with a steady stream of sensor data. This helps inform the organisation of potential issues as they arise. Additionally, many IoT solutions allow organisations to perform regular maintenance and emergency software repairs remotely, often without any significant device downtime.

IoT device management brings together related devices, allowing them to take action based on the data they exchange with one another. For example, if a climate control sensor detects a change in room temperature, it can send that data along to the relevant HVAC unit, which will then automatically take action to maintain the desired temperature.

Once the devices are connected, IoT management allows organisations to monitor devices in association with operations and business, visualise and analyse incoming data, measure telemetry and then use data insights to take action. Companies can also optimise their assets based on IoT monitoring, look at historical trends over time, and perform root-cause analyses to detect issues with critical equipment and data.