IoT Cloud Platform
What is it?
An IoT cloud platform is a network that supports the Internet of Things devices and applications. It comprises fundamental resources necessary for real-time operations and processing:
- infrastructure
- servers
- storage
Additionally, an IoT cloud platform includes services and standards that are meant to connect, manage, and secure devices and applications.
How does it work?
The goal of an IoT cloud platform is to connect hardware e.g., devices and sensors to the cloud; deal with various software and hardware communication protocols; ensure security and authentication for devices and users; track, gather, interpret, and analyze data to sensors and devices at the same time; and integrate with systems and services of an enterprise.
IoT cloud platforms are used as IaaS (Infrastructure as Service, which allows for renting virtualized resources instead of building your own infrastructure), PaaS (Platform as Service, where a third-party provider delivers hardware and software to users through the Internet), and SaaS (Software as Service, where cloud provider hosts apps and makes them available to users over the Internet).
Where is it used?
Contrary to edge computing, which serves time-sensitive data, IoT cloud platforms are designed for non-time-triggered data processing. They operate far from data sources while offering improved processing capabilities and storage capacity. It results in deep and long-term but not fast real-time analysis.
Another difference from the IoT edge framework is the necessity of Internet connectivity and bigger expenses, for instance, due to high bandwidth and latency requirements.
