Towards a more “open” environment
Find out how edge computing and open source software are important contributions to the successful implementation of IoT in your company.
By Dick Slansky
The expansion and proliferation of open source organizations like the Linux Foundation and the OpenStack Foundation attest to the number of open source projects that have become commonplace.
The overall architecture of digital transformation and the technologies, products, services, and business strategies that define it are taking hold. ARC sees some different delineations in this digital transformation environment:
· The business infrastructure in the cloud of platforms, servers and networks;
· The edge computing environment of private cloud servers, network devices, gateways, and firewalls;
· The most extreme edge of IoT endpoints, smart devices, and automation and controls.
Much of the openness in these areas is being achieved through open source projects and by vendors and users who are developing solutions for the Industrial IoT.
To operate successfully in this landscape, industrial organizations need to understand the benefits and limitations of open source software and how to leverage the value proposition of an open source development environment. For the most part, the open source software and Industrial IoT development community adheres to the open standards movement that evolved along with the software. Open standards are often a requirement of doing business; Open source, in turn, is a choice of users.
Edge architecture and open source frameworks
An IoT solution is a combination of hardware, software, and network capabilities. Edge computing is necessary for virtually any IoT solution to succeed. There are several open source frameworks available in the IoT space. Cloud service providers also offer comprehensive services for edge computing and IoT solutions.
Data is the heart of an IoT system and needs to be processed as quickly as possible to allow the system to function efficiently and as designed. The huge amounts of data generated from IoT devices or sources can easily consume available network bandwidth and require excess data storage. It is critical to aggregate and digitize data at the edge of the system, which can then be communicated to back-end systems . Today, with the advent of AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms embedded in computing hardware, processing can take place at the edge, significantly reducing the need to transport data to edge computing server layers.
Edge computing handles this, helping to reduce the amount of data transported through the cloud computing infrastructure. These edge computing systems reside close to the IoT devices/data sources and apply the required security. One of the main benefits of edge computing is that it improves time to action, reduces response time, and optimizes the use of network resources. It also helps reduce latency and network bottlenecks.
Driving the implementation of IoT
Unlike proprietary software, open source technologies are fully customizable and scalable. Because the code is open, it can be adjusted and modified according to the needs of the company. Assuming the necessary toolset is provided, open source software (OSS) allows developers and businesses to move between different frameworks seamlessly.
With a host of automated protocols and functions, open source frameworks can save time for engineers and IoT technology professionals. While privacy and data security are primary concerns for any business, companies need to be aware of some remaining challenges when using OSS. These include:
· “Open” means free access, that is, the collaborators are not always specialists;
· Maintenance security may be vulnerable;
· Data privacy may involve legal issues;
· Some of the best open source development platforms can be expensive;
· The set of available standard functions does not always suit all business needs; Y
· Open source IoT platforms are not for the casual developer.
edge computing
Currently, the Linux Foundation and the OpenStack Foundation serve as umbrella groups for a wide range of industrial IoT OSS projects. Taken together, the Linux Foundation and OpenStack Foundation OSS market is huge. The development cost of the Linux Foundation’s top 100 projects exceeds $16 billion with one million developers enrolled in OSS training. The OpenStack market is projected to reach $7.7 billion by 2023. Edge computing will drive much of the OSS market, with IoT architectures, edge devices, intelligent edge processors, and edge computing server layers defining the market. edge environment. OSS will provide the flexibility, broad developer base, and single purpose to improve and optimize software.
