<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Internet of Things</title> <atom:link href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot</link> <description>Microsoft Internet of Things Blog</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:42:47 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">77982353</site> <item> <title>Azure IoT Edge: What’s in it for partners?</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/17/azure-iot-edge-whats-in-it-for-partners/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:00:01 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Edge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[farming]]></category> <category><![CDATA[schneider electric]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23799</guid> <description><![CDATA[For the last decade, one of the most significant topics in technology has been the role of the cloud itself, and discussion is often framed &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/17/azure-iot-edge-whats-in-it-for-partners/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For the last decade, one of the most significant topics in technology has been the role of the cloud itself, and discussion is often framed around which workloads and technology should be deployed and managed locally. And this decision is usually seen as a binary. You can pick cloud or local, but not both. But the truth is often in the middle, and today, the possibilities are more varied. The question today is, how does a company use local and cloud resources to achieve great efficiency, impact, and better overall value?</p> <p>The new generation of IoT solutions will take advantage of both cloud and the edge to analyze and immediately respond to mission-critical data locally, while sending the data for further processing (such as training machine learning models) to the cloud. While edge computing has historically been concentrated in manufacturing and industrial settings, it is now making an impact in non-traditional sectors.</p> <p>Edge computing refers to data processing power at the edge of the network, closer to the source of data. With edge computing, each device—whether it be a smartphone, drone, sensor, robot, HVAC unit, autonomous car, or other intelligent device—takes some of the data processing performed by the cloud and packages it up for processing and analysis at the edge.</p> <p>By 2021, edge computing is expected to be an <a href="https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/01/13/905653/0/en/80-Billion-Mobile-Edge-Computing-MEC-Opportunity-Market-Assessment-and-Forecasts-2016-2021.html">$80 billion market</a>, presenting tremendous opportunities for partners to build innovative solutions such as intelligent transportation networks, integrated energy systems, smart factories, and digital cities—transforming how entire industries approach their work. Device data does not have to go through the round-trip to the cloud for a command to be sent back, drastically reducing response time in mission critical scenarios. By having a closed loop of processing power around the edge device itself, customers are also saving cost by choosing what data needs to be sent to the cloud.</p> <p>Recently, Microsoft worked together with <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/transform/feature/schneider-electric-transforms-agriculture-internet-of-things-sustainable-farming/">Schneider Electric</a> to develop an IoT solution for sustainable farming in New Zealand leveraging both cloud and edge, reducing water and electricity costs while increasing yield. As <a href="https://ncmedia.azureedge.net/ncmedia/2017/05/Build-2017-Satya-Nadella-transcript.pdf">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella</a> put it when he announced <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/campaigns/iot-edge/">Microsoft Azure IoT Edge</a> in May: “We&#8217;re moving from what is today&#8217;s mobile-first, cloud-first world to a new world that is going to be made up of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='640' height='390' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1jh1qJu9_Zk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></p> <p><strong>Extending cloud intelligence to edge devices</strong></p> <p>Using  Azure IoT’s existing infrastructure, dozens of Microsoft partners are already at work creating transformative experiences for their customers. For example, <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/transform/feature/new-app-harnesses-high-speed-data-to-deliver-a-winning-experience-to-indy-500-fans/#sm.00it4og619t9ctj1148149qpfcs5h">BlueMetal</a>, an Insight company, partnered with IndyCar Racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to build an app that delivers to the palm of Indy 500 fans’ hands real-time information coming directly from inside the cars as they race. In another instance, Microsoft partner <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-of-things/customer-stories#smartcities&amp;ecolab">Ecolab</a> is tapping into the Azure IoT to help industries worldwide find solutions to the problem of water scarcity.</p> <p>Our goal with Azure IoT Edge is to further expand these existing cloud capabilities by enabling partners to extend cloud intelligence to edge devices. The edge capabilities will be part of Microsoft’s core Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service IoT offerings—including <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/suites/iot-suite/">Microsoft Azure IoT Suite</a> and <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-of-things/iot-central-saas-solutions?WT.srch=1&amp;WT.mc_id=AID559295__SEM_e9GwFZz1&amp;">Microsoft Azure IoT Central</a>. Partners will be equipped to develop services that use compute power in the cloud, at the edge, or a combination of both.</p> <p><strong>A complete ecosystem of edge offerings</strong></p> <p>With Azure IoT Edge providing the foundational infrastructure between cloud and edge, partners can build higher up the value chain. Eventually, they will develop an entire ecosystem of edge offerings ranging from simple services to sophisticated solutions for customers around the globe. In addition to Microsoft cloud services such as <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/cognitive-services/">Microsoft Cognitive Services</a>, <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/stream-analytics/">Azure Stream Analytics</a>, and <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/machine-learning/">Azure Machine Learning</a>, partners can build their own advanced services that run at the edge—incorporating capabilities such as advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence with less time and effort. They can also combine services from Microsoft and other technology providers to offer customers complete solutions that incorporate edge computing to address their needs.</p> <p><strong>Getting solutions to market faster</strong></p> <p>Using existing modules from the Azure IoT Edge ecosystem, partners can significantly reduce their development and maintenance costs, while bringing new solutions quickly to market. Azure IoT Edge simplifies development, making it easy for partners to customize solutions that meet their customer’s specific needs.</p> <p>In a typical IoT implementation, organizations need hardware developers for programming IoT devices, software developers proficient in cloud technologies, and developers with specialized programming language skills. with Azure IoT Edge, developers will be able to use the same programming languages they’re already familiar with to build and test their IoT applications and then deploy them to a wide range of edge devices—greatly reducing the learning curve, and thus their development time.</p> <p>Azure IoT Edge holds tremendous promise for our partners—and even more so when combined with the cloud. As our partners work to build out the edge ecosystem, they will create breakthrough experiences that radically improve efficiency and productivity for their customers. If you did not get the chance to attend Microsoft Inspire in person, you can watch Sam George, Director of the Azure IoT Engineering Team, speak about “<a href="https://myinspire.microsoft.com/sessions?p1=eyJzcGVha2VyIjpbXSwidGltZXNsb3QiOltdLCJkYXkiOltdLCJyb29tIjpbXSwibG9jYXRpb24iOltdLCJzdGFydCI6IiIsImZpbmlzaCI6IiIsInBhZ2VudW1iZXIiOjEsImNhdGVnb3JpZXMiOnt9LCJrZXl3b3JkIjoic2ltcGxpZnlpbmcgaW90In0%3D">Simplifying IoT Further with Cloud and Edge</a>” in his session, or learn more about <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/campaigns/iot-edge/">Azure IoT Edge</a>.</p> <hr /> <p>[1] Research and Markets, “$80 Billion Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Opportunity: Market Assessment and Forecasts 2016 – 2021,” January 13, 2017: https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/01/13/905653/0/en/80-Billion-Mobile-Edge-Computing-MEC-Opportunity-Market-Assessment-and-Forecasts-2016-2021.html</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23799</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Azure Event Grid streamlines IoT event routing</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/16/azure-event-grid-streamlines-iot-event-routing/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:05:47 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure Event Grid]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[event-based applications]]></category> <category><![CDATA[serverless applications]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23769</guid> <description><![CDATA[The proliferation of connected devices is creating new opportunities for business – from connected cars and cities to sensors in manufacturing plants, on farms and &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/16/azure-event-grid-streamlines-iot-event-routing/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The proliferation of connected devices is creating new opportunities for business – from connected cars and cities to sensors in manufacturing plants, on farms and more. As more companies turn to cloud-powered IoT solutions to transform their business, the more important “events” become to automating actions in IoT scenarios. An event can be a change in an IoT device, a click on a mobile app or a new data entry in a customer database. In the connected world, events set in motion a process, and are therefore significant to modern cloud applications. To manage such large quantities of data and devices, businesses face a critical need to be able to learn about and react to relevant events efficiently, and easily integrate their business applications.</p> <p>But implementing such a service is a challenge for many organizations. To simplify the process, Microsoft has developed <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/event-grid/">Azure Event Grid</a>, an event-routing service that offers a single resource for building event-based and serverless applications.</p> <p><a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/introducing-azure-event-grid-an-event-service-for-modern-applications/">In a post</a> on the Azure blog, Director of Azure Compute Corey Sanders explains how Azure Event Grid uses a publish-subscribe model to integrate and streamline event-driven services, which allows a business’ apps to more flexibly produce and consume events. It also allows serverless applications to react to many new event sources and span numerous services. Having these capabilities means businesses won’t have to build one-off connectors from IoT Hub to other Azure services, resulting in a more streamlined Azure IoT solution and standardized user interface to integrate Azure services, and developers can focus on their code without having to consider infrastructure, provisioning, and scaling.</p> <p>Read <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/introducing-azure-event-grid-an-event-service-for-modern-applications/">Corey’s post</a> to more about how Azure Event Grid will help businesses easily create and manage event-based and serverless applications by using an integrated single service.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23769</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Electric Imp and Particle solutions seamlessly integrate with Azure IoT Hub</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/electric-imp-and-particle-solutions-seamlessly-integrate-with-azure-iot-hub/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 10 Aug 2017 18:58:34 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[announcements]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[construction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[electric imp]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manufacturing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[particle]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23610</guid> <description><![CDATA[Securely integrating the cloud with device connectivity platforms just got easier, thanks to new solutions from Azure IoT partners Electric Imp and Particle. These capabilities &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/electric-imp-and-particle-solutions-seamlessly-integrate-with-azure-iot-hub/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Securely integrating the cloud with device connectivity platforms just got easier, thanks to new solutions from Azure IoT partners Electric Imp and Particle. These capabilities can help businesses implement initiatives like predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and full integration into business applications for workflow automation.</p> <p>Both companies have created new ways to seamlessly connect with Azure IoT Hub to deliver data to the cloud and to manage the IoT device lifecycle, from secure provisioning and monitoring  to device retirement. Seamless connectivity allows companies to more easily develop new products and services that can scale and transform their business models.</p> <p>Consider <a href="http://www.kellyroofing.com/">Kelly Roofing</a>: Using Microsoft Dynamics and PowerObjects, the roofing contractor is piloting a “connected roof” service model that offers customers a leak-proof roof for an annual fee. Kelly outfits a roof with leak sensors connected to IoT Hub through Particle. If a leak is detected, a service alert is triggered in Dynamics and a repairman is automatically dispatched. This creates value and loyalty to customers—and a new revenue stream for Kelly.  Similarly, Electric Imp enables manufacturers to create a private managed cloud instance on Azure. This can provide a platform for a range of high-performance industrial IoT applications such as large-scale sensor deployments, remote monitoring of equipment, and real-time tracking of commercial assets.</p> <p>To learn more about new IoT Hub solutions from Electric Imp and Particle, read our latest <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/electric-imp-particle-integration-with-iot-hub/preview/">Azure blog post</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><br /> <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23610</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Sustainable agriculture grows smarter with IoT</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/sustainable-agriculture-grows-smarter-with-iot/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 10 Aug 2017 15:45:58 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[agriculture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Partner]]></category> <category><![CDATA[SCADAfarm]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Schneider]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23326</guid> <description><![CDATA[Since agriculture began more than 10,000 years ago, it has always been at the mercy of nature. While technological advances have increased productivity many times &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/sustainable-agriculture-grows-smarter-with-iot/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Since agriculture began more than 10,000 years ago, it has always been at the mercy of nature. While technological advances have increased productivity many times over, farmers all over the world continue to face challenges managing their water resources.</p> <p>However, we’re now seeing that the Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling a more sustainable approach to industries like agriculture. Case in point: Craig Blackburn at Blackhills farm, a complex 990-acre bustling operation in  New Zealand is using IoT tools to help his business not just survive, but thrive—while also conserving natural resources.</p> <p><a href="http://scadafarm.com/">SCADAfarm</a>, an IoT tool developed with  Schneider Electric on Microsoft’s Azure IoT Platform by  WaterForce, a regional water and irrigation management company, allows Blackburn to  remotely monitor,manage and analyze water usage across his operation.</p> <p><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/07/RP1591_1876.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-23350" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/07/RP1591_1876-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="278" height="185" /></a>Since he began using SCADAfarm, Blackburn has reported a 30 percent decrease in water consumption and a 50 percent increase in energy efficiency on his property. With water conservation among our most pressing environmental challenges (agriculture uses 70 percent of the world’s available fresh water), IoT solutions enable a myriad of industries to operate more sustainably.</p> <p>Cloud-based IoT solutions like the one Blackburn uses aren’t just beneficial to the environment—they’re a boon to business, as well. By leveraging Azure IoT Hub, Blackburn now has the ability to remotely customize sprinklers for specific crops, operate irrigators and pumps, and utilize analytics from the cloud to incorporate real-time data on weather patterns, as well as providing a secure and reliable record of irrigation and effluent distribution for compliance purposes. The results not only allowed Blackburn more precise control, they also saved him time and money.</p> <p>Visit our <a href="http://trnsfrm.ms/schndr">Transform blog</a> to learn more about how Microsoft is simplifying IoT to make it even more accessible to organizations interested in digital transformation.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23326</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Three pitfalls to implementing IoT (and how to beat them)</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/01/three-pitfalls-to-implementing-iot-and-how-to-beat-them/</link> <pubDate>Tue, 01 Aug 2017 16:00:34 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter Cooper]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[challenges]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IoT adoption]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23538</guid> <description><![CDATA[Even as the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a part of many enterprise’s strategy, some still debate whether all of the promise of connected &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/01/three-pitfalls-to-implementing-iot-and-how-to-beat-them/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Even as the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a part of many enterprise’s strategy, some still debate whether all of the promise of connected infrastructure was really just hype. But that’s no longer the case. Today, companies are clamoring to create IoT solutions that will not only provide greater efficiency, insights, and innovation, but that will also provide a competitive edge for the future. Still, as many have discovered, building an IoT solution can test even the most capable among us.</p> <p>IoT initiatives can be hamstrung by conflicting business and technology goals, a lack of clear collaboration, and the challenge of choosing the right technology. Here are three common pitfalls and how to avoid them.</p> <h6><strong>Lack of alignment between business, Operational Technology (OT) and IT on technology deployment </strong></h6> <p>Business is moving faster than ever, and the expectation of agility isn’t just found in technology, but across the organization. The need to meet pressing business challenges, along with the lower cost and ease of deployment of line-of-business technology solutions, has created friction between business leads and IT—friction that can put the success of an IoT solution at risk. Business leads must recognize that IT has well-founded concerns about the technical challenges involved in executing on your IoT project. And IT should embrace the need for greater agility to help the business thrive and meet its goals.</p> <p>For example, on the factory floor, or within operations management, OT leaders often have a mandate, and a firm handle on their technical requirements and capabilities. But for business stakeholders with fewer resources, IT can serve as an effective partner to create IoT solutions that protect the business, leverage current assets and provide long-term management and support for new technology.</p> <p>Though this kind of collaboration may slow down deployment in some cases, having an outside perspective can be especially helpful. Microsoft’s extensive partner ecosystem enables customers to develop industry-specific solutions that address their unique business and IT challenges, and execute quickly and with a clear objective.</p> <h6><strong>Trying to do too much, too quickly </strong></h6> <p>Companies often attempt to tackle too many business problems at once. But the most successful IoT projects are specific and targeted. The long term vision may be big and expansive, so the key to success is to start small; begin with a proof-of-concept, then a pilot, and then to scale. The lessons learned on the first project will inform the project to come, and help you foresee challenges as you scale across other lines of business.</p> <p>This can be especially challenging for overachievers, but it’s essential to your success. In the case of IoT, companies need a clearly defined business goal, along with a commitment from each stakeholder about the way forward. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the potential. Don’t get impatient and go rogue. Instead, work to find agreement on the end goal, who is in charge and get clarity on each party’s role. The Azure IoT platform is designed with this in mind, providing the resources and tools you need to get started, and the ability to expand and scale with your business.</p> <h6><strong>Choosing the right technology</strong></h6> <p>IoT has lots of moving parts, and means different things to different people. Do you start with devices, the data, or the platform? And what do you need today versus what you will need five years from now? With this in mind, picking a solution is about finding a provider that can work with any device, that can oversee large-scale data management and advanced analytics solutions, and that can build or manage your solutions regardless of where they are deployed.</p> <p>While your IoT project may be simple and seem small at the beginning, keeping up with the pace of innovation and the value it creates can quickly outstrip the ability of your technology provider. It’s critical, therefore, that you pick a provider with the scope, strategy and expertise to meet your company’s needs today and into the future.</p> <p>At Microsoft, our goal is to simplify IoT and it starts by meeting our customers where they are at today, and providing tools and resources to scale for the future. Whether you’re looking for an on-premises, cloud-based or hybrid solution, the Azure IoT platform offers truly global scale and a comprehensive portfolio of IoT software and services to meet your company’s needs.</p> <p>To hear more about how to move your IoT project forward and create the Internet of Your Things, sign up for our webinar, “H<a href="https://info.microsoft.com/CO-AAIoT-WBNR-FY17-07Jul-26-Top-3-IoT-Challenges-Registration.html?wt.mc_id=US_CE_IOT_OO_BLOG_&amp;ls=BLG&amp;lsd=IoT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ow to Tackle the Top 3 Challenges of IoT Projects</a>.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23538</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How Servitization Can Extend Manufacturers’ Horizons</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/27/how-servitization-can-extend-manufacturers-horizons/</link> <pubDate>Fri, 28 Jul 2017 01:38:57 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IIoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[iot]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manufacturing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[servitization]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23496</guid> <description><![CDATA[Digital transformation, connected customers and increasingly hyperconnected business ecosystems are transforming manufacturing as we know it. Driving these changes is the fourth industrial revolution, also &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/27/how-servitization-can-extend-manufacturers-horizons/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Digital transformation, connected customers and increasingly hyperconnected business ecosystems are transforming manufacturing as we know it. Driving these changes is the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0.</p> <p>This new paradigm in manufacturing, which comprises technologies like cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, connected robotics and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is helping manufacturers enhance efficiencies, collaboration and supply chain partnerships. It’s one reason why <a href="https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-gb/articles/industries/manufacturing/expanding-manufacturers-horizons-with-servitization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK manufacturers recently reported the second-highest level of optimism in nearly a decade</a>, according to <em>The Manufacturer’s Annual Manufacturing Report.</em></p> <p>Microsoft has partnered with <em>The Manufacturer</em> on a new whitepaper detailing how manufacturers are embracing Industry 4.0 and the IIoT to take advantage of cloud-based technologies to ingest and analyze huge volumes of machine-generated data and implement autonomous systems that can turn data into actionable information. Together, these capabilities form the platform for servitization, a service-centric approach that can enable manufacturers to pivot from a company that assembles stand-alone products to one that fuses products with supplemental customer-focused services.</p> <p>In addition to building long-lasting customer relationships, servitization can enable manufacturers to leverage data to gain greater visibility into the supply chain and business partners. More importantly, it can pave the way for new products and services that unlock revenue streams and enable manufacturers to remain competitive as business environments and markets evolve.</p> <p>Servitization is a wide-ranging transformation that will impact every aspect of the business—and that can present significant challenges. In particular, manufacturers will need to educate all employees, customers and suppliers on their new business model and services. Sales staff, in particular, will need in-depth training because they will be selling a recurring outcome rather than simply a stand-alone product. Microsoft’s partner ecosystem is uniquely positioned to assist businesses in overcoming these and other challenges when implementing an IoT solution.</p> <p>To learn more about how servitization can transform your manufacturing business, download our new whitepaper, <a href="https://www.themanufacturer.com/report-download/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Road to Customer Intimacy Through a Service-Centred Approach</a>. <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.psfk.com%2F2017%2F07%2Fhow-product-as-a-service-manufacturing-is-transforming-business-models.html&amp;data=04%7C01%7CBill.Moffett%40microsoft.com%7Ca35838fa43984a657fff08d4d5ccb0c0%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C636368522518880472%7CUnknown%7CVW5rbm93bnx7IlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiT3RoZXIifQ%3D%3D%7C-1&amp;sdata=AKUqLSZQwFly4oAg%2FgiptIYFCn7NPfrGi0eXi1dCUYE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read this blog post</a> to see how manufacturers are implementing IoT in their businesses.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23496</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roadside assistance provider the RAC revolutionizes customer service with IoT</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/20/roadside-assistance-provider-the-rac-revolutionizes-customer-service-with-iot/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 20 Jul 2017 16:10:31 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connected car]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connected vehicle]]></category> <category><![CDATA[motorists]]></category> <category><![CDATA[RAC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23428</guid> <description><![CDATA[Imagine a world in which you’re alerted before you even leave the house that your vehicle might break down. You obtain driver recommendations to improve &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/20/roadside-assistance-provider-the-rac-revolutionizes-customer-service-with-iot/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Imagine a world in which you’re alerted before you even leave the house that your vehicle might break down. You obtain driver recommendations to improve safety and save fuel based on your actual driving patterns. And if you are involved in a car accident, you receive a precise summary of the cause of the crash right from your smartphone.</p> <p>Thanks to the <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com">Internet of Things</a> (IoT), the RAC is doing all of that and more. A 120-year-old motorist organization, the <a href="http://www.rac.co.uk/">RAC</a> provides roadside assistance, insurance, accident management and route planning to 8.6 million business and individual motorists across the UK—much the same way that AAA does in the U.S. And by implementing <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/">Microsoft Azure IoT Hub</a> to connect and monitor telematics devices placed in member vehicles, the company is revolutionizing how it serves its members.</p> <p>The RAC initially built its IoT solution on Amazon Web Services, but moved to Azure IoT Hub early in 2017 because it needed a more secure, robust, and scalable cloud service. The RAC currently has telematics devices installed in 100,000 vehicles, and eventually plans to connect millions more. The company is adding 400 gigabytes of data to its database per month, which it stores and analyzes in the Microsoft Azure cloud and then sends to its call center, where it is used to proactively assist members. “The offerings from Microsoft are much richer than we’ve seen from any cloud provider,” says Nick Walker, managing director of the RAC’s telematics and connected solutions team. “The level of scalability is unprecedented, and the investment that Microsoft is putting into cloud security is immense.”</p> <p>The data that the RAC collects via these devices results in a number of benefits. Collecting data about vehicle health is improving the way the RAC delivers roadside assistance, and, in some cases, helping the RAC members identify a fault before they actually break down. Monitoring driver behavior is enhancing motorist safety and saving members fuel. Gathering detailed data when a crash occurs is helping members more accurately settle insurance claims. And analyzing GPS vehicle location data is enabling the RAC members to do everything from reaching their destination more quickly to recovering stolen vehicles.</p> <p><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/07/RAC-Connected-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-23443" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/07/RAC-Connected-2.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a></p> <p>“We are radically changing our relationship with our membership base,” says Walker. “For 120 years, we only had a relationship with customers at the point of policy renewal or if they broke down. With IoT, we can become a proactive organization offering far more value to our membership.”</p> <p>Take the RAC’s roadside assistance service, for example. In the past, members called the RAC when their vehicle broke down, and then waited for a the RAC patrol van to arrive at the scene and diagnose the problem on the side of the road. However, patrols at times would not always know the full extent of the fault before turning up at the roadside, potentially resulting in hours of downtime for the business or individual. Yet with IoT and vehicle health data streamed to the RAC in real time, patrols will be able to diagnose the problem remotely, and then arrive at the scene with the replacement part in hand. This saves waiting time for individual members and enables business fleet managers to maximize vehicle up-time and run their businesses more effectively.</p> <p>As the RAC accumulates data, it can also begin to analyze breakdown patterns as well, enabling the organization to issue alerts or call members so they can repair problems before their cars break down. The organization is also relaying trend data to vehicle manufacturers, enabling them to pinpoint issues more quickly and reduce the number of recalls. “We can identify several causes of breakdown already, and in the next 12 to 18 months we’ll become more proficient,” says Walker. “By analyzing data patterns, we’ll be able to anticipate and almost predict what’s going to happen with each vehicle.”</p> <p>IoT also allows the RAC to collect and aggregate information to help its members drive safer, save fuel and reduce emissions. “If we can track people’s driving patterns, we can give them some very proactive advice—say if they didn’t accelerate quite as hard or brake so late, they’d be able to save many hundreds of pounds in fuel per year,” Walker says. “That’s a serious benefit.”</p> <p>Tracking the driving trends of its own 1,500-vehicle Patrol fleet, for instance, the RAC has reduced its accident rate by 25 percent. Moreover, the company has lowered both its insurance premiums and its fuel usage by 20 percent, saving it £1.5 million ($1.8 million) annually. “When people drive better, the maintenance level of vehicles goes down, so the benefits have a ripple effect,” Walker says. “Through the services we offer, we can save fleets a lot of money and downtime.”</p> <p>Walker believes vast amounts of data collected from telematics devices will create a future in which transportation operates far more efficiently than it does today. And as autonomous vehicles go mainstream, the desire for more advanced services will only continue to grow. “By analyzing increasing amounts of data, we are recognizing that we have the opportunity to offer several new high-value services to our customers,” he says. “We’re at the beginning of a whole new journey, and the benefits will be massive.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23428</post-id> </item> <item> <title>COPA-DATA transforms industrial automation with Azure IoT</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/10/copa-data-transforms-industrial-automation-with-azure-iot/</link> <pubDate>Mon, 10 Jul 2017 16:00:13 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure Machine Learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COPA-DATA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer story]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IIoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[industrial automation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Inspire]]></category> <category><![CDATA[KHS]]></category> <category><![CDATA[machine builder]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Manufacturing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[predictive analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[zenon]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23362</guid> <description><![CDATA[Founded in Dortmund, Germany in 1993, KHS GmbH is a pioneer of bottled beverages that has since become a leading provider of filling and packaging &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/10/copa-data-transforms-industrial-automation-with-azure-iot/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Founded in Dortmund, Germany in 1993, KHS GmbH is a pioneer of bottled beverages that has since become a leading provider of filling and packaging machinery for the food and beverage industry. KHS saw the manufacturing industry being transformed and recognized the need to embrace the latest industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, which was fueled in part by the Internet of Things (IoT). Only then could KHS improve the remote monitoring and control capabilities of its human-machine interface (HMI) solution and provide customers with the insights they need to operate more competitively and efficiently.</p> <p>KHS’ HMI solution was built with zenon, an industrial software system developed by COPA-DATA, a Microsoft partner specializing in complete end-to-end industrial IoT solutions. COPA-DATA recently migrated zenon to Azure IoT, which has given KHS access to the untapped power of IoT and cloud technologies. KHS is now in the position to increase the performance, availability and security of its HMI solution, reducing downtime and increasing operational efficiencies for customers around the world.</p> <p>Using Azure Machine Learning, Azure IoT Hub, Stream Analytics and Azure storage, KHS can remotely gather performance data from multiple machines on the factory floor, and even across multiple factory sites, in real-time. With this data, KHS generates intelligent insights around the performance of a customer’s manufacturing operations. This has opened the door to new predictive maintenance services that provide its customers – e.g. beverage companies with bottling plants – with additional value, while giving KHS a steady stream of business.</p> <p>For example, two KHS customers in the soft drink industry routinely operate their packaging and filling machines at speeds of up to 81,000 units per hour, making performance and uptime especially critical. Now KHS can empower these customers with intelligent machinery that lead to actionable insights around how to meet, or exceed, their production goals.</p> <p><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='640' height='390' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rrYDFgDLIvg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></p> <p>KHS’ success would not have been possible without the support of COPA-DATA and the partners it works with to create tailor-made industrial IoT solutions. In recognition of this, today Microsoft named COPA-DATA as its 2017 IoT Partner of the Year.</p> <p>By powering zenon, its industrial IoT solution, with Microsoft Azure and the capabilities of Azure IoT and Machine Learning, COPA-DATA has not only transformed the nature of its own business, but enabled companies like KHS to create differentiated products and offerings for its customers in an increasingly competitive landscape.</p> <p>To access IoT technical, sales and marketing resources curated exclusively for Microsoft partners, visit <a href="http://aka.ms/IoTpartner">aka.ms/IoTpartner</a> .</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23362</post-id> </item> <item> <title>From cranes to shipping containers, IoT helps ZPMC transform the world’s ports</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/06/21/from-cranes-to-shipping-containers-iot-helps-zpmc-transform-the-worlds-ports/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2017 16:15:51 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Suite]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer story]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Machine learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[predictive maintenance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[remote monitoring]]></category> <category><![CDATA[stream analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ZPMC]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23263</guid> <description><![CDATA[Looking to transform the world’s shipping ports, Shanghai-based ZPMC is using the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect equipment ranging from giant cranes to shipping &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/06/21/from-cranes-to-shipping-containers-iot-helps-zpmc-transform-the-worlds-ports/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Looking to transform the world’s shipping ports, Shanghai-based ZPMC is using the <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">Internet of Things</a> (IoT) to connect equipment ranging from giant cranes to shipping containers.</p> <p>Already the world’s largest manufacturer of port cranes, ZPMC is now working on becoming the total solution provider for the digital port. Working with Microsoft, it is shifting its business from selling hardware to also providing software and services. In doing so it has brought global connectivity to ports around the world and delivered added value to its customers.</p> <p>Using Microsoft Azure IoT solutions and services including Azure IoT Suite, Stream Analytics, and Machine Learning, as well as Microsoft Power BI, SQL Server and DevOps, ZPMC can now remotely operate huge cranes 24/7 from inside an office for increased safety and efficiency. From its headquarters the company can also monitor all of its cranes worldwide, in more than 250 ports in 97 countries, and use predictive maintenance to receive alerts before equipment fails, significantly boosting uptime. ZPMC’s customers can even track their containers from dock to final destination.</p> <p>Microsoft’s IoT solutions are enabling customers like ZPMC to scale, grow and transform their business. IoT-connected equipment can help lower costs, improve quality and increase energy efficiency, but most important it can enable new business models as companies across a range of industries expand their product lines to include software and services offerings.</p> <p><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='640' height='390' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cWy1q9-Ykew?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;autohide=2&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;wmode=transparent' allowfullscreen='true' style='border:0;'></iframe></p> <p>For more information, read the <a href="http://trnsfrm.ms/zpmc">Transform blog post</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23263</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Connecting vehicles for the long haul with IoT</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/05/31/connecting-vehicles-for-the-long-haul-with-iot/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 31 May 2017 16:00:32 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer story]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Daimler Trucks North America]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Detroit Analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Detroit Connect]]></category> <category><![CDATA[logistics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[trucking]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23055</guid> <description><![CDATA[Somewhere on a remote stretch of highway a truck carrying valuable and perishable cargo runs into engine trouble. Rather than seeking out a local mechanic &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/05/31/connecting-vehicles-for-the-long-haul-with-iot/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Somewhere on a remote stretch of highway a truck carrying valuable and perishable cargo runs into engine trouble. Rather than seeking out a local mechanic to diagnose the problem, the driver contacts fleet headquarters. There, a technician has already received detailed information from Internet-enabled vehicle sensors. This information tells the technician about the severity of the fault and enables them to know when, where, and how to best fix the underlying issue. That truck will be back on the road a great deal faster thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT).</p> <p>IoT capabilities are now standard at Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), but the company has a long history of innovation. Since the 1940s, DTNA has been at the vanguard, from developing lightweight aluminum truck components to introducing innovative green technologies. Today, DTNA continues to innovate by using IoT and data visualization to help customers better manage their fleets. Case in point: Recently they have partnered with Microsoft to enhance <a href="https://freightliner.com/demand-detroit/detroit-connect/">Detroit Connect</a>, a pioneering integrated connected vehicle solution that can capture and analyze data, creating actionable insights that enable innovations in fleet management and maintenance.</p> <p><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/05/Daimler-Photo.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-23067 " src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/05/Daimler-Photo-297x300.jpg" alt="" width="230" height="232" /></a>Virtual Technician, Detroit Connect’s remote diagnostic service, uses <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/">Azure IoT Hub</a> to collect performance information from vehicles on the road and stores it in Azure. Fleet managers can view complete fault-event details through the Detroit Connect portal and quickly know when a fault-event has occurred. Virtual Technician is proven to work at large scale, and more than 200,000 trucks on the road today are using it to maximize uptime and extend vehicle life.</p> <p>DTNA is also using Azure IoT Hub to enable Detroit Connect Analytics, a new service — currently being piloted on 250 DTNA trucks — designed to help customers use data to optimize performance at the fleet level. Data is gathered from more than 20 vehicle sensors and then streamed to Azure IoT Hub. Once the data is in Azure, Detroit Connect Analytics dashboards help customers analyze and visualize that data to generate key insights, which enable fleet managers to optimize loads, improve fuel economy, and lower maintenance costs and vehicle downtime.</p> <p>Even from the earliest planning stage, DTNA knew that any solution that used IoT to gather data from moving vehicles would need to be scalable and highly secure. DTNA partnered with Microsoft because of their experience with large IoT networks and the security of the Azure environment. The environment is redundant, replicated in two geographically dispersed Azure data centers, and it uses Azure Traffic Manager to trigger failover.</p> <p>With Microsoft, DTNA has found a partner that is also committed to the long haul. DTNA’s director of connectivity, Matt Pfaffenbach, explains: “Microsoft has been both an advisor and an advocate for us. Unlike some software suppliers that just want to protect their licensing rights, Microsoft wants to help us achieve our goals.”</p> <p>IoT has become central to DTNA’s business, as the ability to capture data better is “beneficial for us as we develop the next generation of technologies,” says Pfaffenbach. “The data we are now able to gather helps our engineers find flaws in their designs, our quality people find flaws in our processes and our warranty folks find better solutions to control our costs, which ultimately controls the costs of our customers. That is extremely powerful for us.”</p> <p>Check out <a href="https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/daimlertrucks">the full customer story</a> to learn more about DTNA’s IoT solution.</p> <p><a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22980" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2018/03/ioytCTA_v4.png" alt="" width="250" height="50" /></a></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23055</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>