<?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>Wed, 06 Sep 2017 19:07:43 +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 Hub Device Provisioning Service is now in public preview</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/09/06/azure-iot-hub-device-provisioning-service-is-now-in-public-preview/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:05:48 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Announcement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Device Provisioning Service]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=24084</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Setting up and managing Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be a challenge of the first order for many businesses. That’s because provisioning entails a lot of manual work, technical know-how, and staff resources. And certain security requirements, such as registering devices with the IoT hub, can further complicate provisioning. During the initial implementation, for...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/09/06/azure-iot-hub-device-provisioning-service-is-now-in-public-preview/">Azure IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service is now in public preview</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Setting up and managing Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be a challenge of the first order for many businesses. That’s because provisioning entails a lot of manual work, technical know-how, and staff resources. And certain security requirements, such as registering devices with the IoT hub, can further complicate provisioning.</p> <p>During the initial implementation, for instance, businesses have to create unique device identities that are registered to the IoT hub and install individual device connection credentials, which enable revocation of access in event of compromise. IT staff also may want to maintain an enrollment list that controls what devices are allowed to automatically provision.</p> <p>Wouldn’t it be great if there was a secure, automated way to remotely deploy and configure devices during registration to the IoT hub—and throughout their lifecycles? With Microsoft’s IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service (DPS), now in public preview, you can.</p> <p>In a post on the Azure blog, [Title], Sam George explains how the IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service can provide zero-touch provisioning that eliminates configuration and provisioning hassles when onboarding IoT devices that connect to Azure services. This allows businesses to quickly and accurately provision millions of devices in a secure and scalable manner. In fact, IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service simplifies the entire device lifecycle management through features that enable secure device management and device reprovisioning. Next year, we plan to add support for ownership transfer and end-of-life management.</p> <p>DPS is now available in the Eastern U.S., Western Europe, and Southeast Asia. To learn more about how Azure IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service can take the pain out of deploying and managing an IoT solution in a secure, reliable way, <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-iot-hub-device-provisioning-service-preview-automates-device-connection-configuration/"><u>read our blog post</u></a> announcing the public preview. And for technical details, check out Microsoft’s <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/iot-dps/"><u>DPS documentation center</u></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/09/06/azure-iot-hub-device-provisioning-service-is-now-in-public-preview/">Azure IoT Hub Device Provisioning Service is now in public preview</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">24084</post-id> </item> <item> <title>A framework for evaluating your IoT infrastructure security</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/29/a-framework-for-evaluating-your-iot-infrastructure-security/</link> <pubDate>Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:00:16 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IoT infrastructure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IoT security]]></category> <category><![CDATA[IoT Security Evaluation Framework]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23979</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Merging the cyber and the physical aspects of security for an Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure is a tall order for many businesses. That’s because it requires an end-to-end strategy to secure far-flung components that can include IT systems, operational controls, cloud services, physical devices and sensors, and consumer technologies. Securing the IoT will demand...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/29/a-framework-for-evaluating-your-iot-infrastructure-security/">A framework for evaluating your IoT infrastructure security</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Merging the cyber and the physical aspects of security for an Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure is a tall order for many businesses. That’s because it requires an end-to-end strategy to secure far-flung components that can include IT systems, operational controls, cloud services, physical devices and sensors, and consumer technologies.</p> <p>Securing the IoT will demand that businesses identify cyber and physical threats to their IoT infrastructure, determine the consequences of these threats, and carefully evaluate security strategies. This requires close collaboration among device manufacturers, resellers, deployers, solution developers, and cloud providers—a huge challenge given varying priorities of these stakeholders. Other roadblocks include a lack of standards for IoT security, disparate hardware and software capabilities, and a range of communications protocols and control systems.</p> <p>Nonetheless, the risks of an IoT-based attack are too consequential to ignore. Consider the October 2016 DDoS attack on Dyn, an Internet DNS provider. The powerful assault harnessed connected devices like DVRs, webcams, and cable set-top devices to take down hundreds of websites around the world. At great cost: The financial impact alone of a DDoS attack can cost a company $250,000 an hour.[1]</p> <figure id="attachment_23988" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/08/Figure-1-Microsofts-IoT-Security-Evaluation-Framework-summary.png"><img class="wp-image-23988 size-full" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/08/Figure-1-Microsofts-IoT-Security-Evaluation-Framework-summary.png" alt="An overview of Microsoft’s IoT Security Evaluation Framework " width="960" height="540" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">An overview of Microsoft’s IoT Security Evaluation Framework</figcaption></figure> <p>Also consider that risks are amplified as more equipment and devices are connected in the IoT. Traditional threats extend to a broader range of interlinked systems, and the IoT introduces a new level of risk as it links physical equipment and consumer technologies like self-driving automobiles and connected medical devices. Nefarious activity can result in threats to human safety and even loss of life.</p> <p>The first step to mitigate these risks will be to identify the threats that are most relevant. In addition to DDoS attacks, these can include breach of personal data, communications interception, natural disasters, physical attack, and hijacking.</p> <p>This evaluation should factor in the entire lifecycle of an IoT infrastructure design, deployment, and operations. We recommend a critical threat-modeling analysis of infrastructure to discover the most likely threats and define actionable mitigation.</p> <p>And because IoT devices often ship with disparate operating systems, computational capabilities, and access-control methods, a review of authentication and access-control schemes is also important. Consider, for instance, that devices typically come with default passwords enabled—and businesses often do not implement strong passwords. After deployment, companies should continue ongoing risk assessments of devices and make sure that a disciplined firmware update policy is followed.</p> <p>Another critical action is network traffic analysis. IoT devices employ a variety of network topologies and communications protocols, and a standards-based approach can improve compatibility and security. As more manufacturing, facility management, and critical infrastructure organizations embrace the IoT, they should ensure that specialized protocols like SCADA systems are secure.</p> <p><strong>The right security evaluation framework</strong></p> <p>The components of an IoT security framework will vary among businesses, and each organization will need to design evaluation strategies that deliver the most value in time and money.</p> <p>Microsoft’s IoT Security Evaluation Framework is a good place to start. It’s a step-by-step guide for assessing IoT infrastructure that uses existing threat models, links threats to consequences, and defines evaluation strategies that can detect flaws in IoT infrastructures. Whether you have already implemented an IoT infrastructure or are in the process of designing or deploying one, Microsoft can show you how a comprehensive IoT security framework can help grow, scale, and transform your business. To learn more, download our whitepaper, <a href="http://download.microsoft.com/download/D/3/9/D3948E3C-D5DC-474E-B22F-81BA8ED7A446/Evaluating_Your_IOT_Security_whitepaper_EN_US.pdf">Evaluating Your IoT Security</a>.</p> <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='995' height='590' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0BDcyjIuSyo?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></div> <p>[1] Neustar, <a href="https://ns-cdn.neustar.biz/creative_services/biz/neustar/www/resources/whitepapers/it-security/ddos/neustar-2017-worldwide-ddos-attacks-cyber-insights-research-report.pdf"><em>Worldwide DDoS Attacks &amp; Cyber Insights Research Report</em></a>, May 2017.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/29/a-framework-for-evaluating-your-iot-infrastructure-security/">A framework for evaluating your IoT infrastructure security</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23979</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Updates to Azure Time Series Insights simplify analysis of IoT data</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/24/updates-to-azure-time-series-insights-simplify-analysis-of-iot-datax/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:00:22 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[announcements]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure Time Series Insights]]></category> <category><![CDATA[webinar]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23916</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The unprecedented volume of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT) has made analysis of time-series data a powerful way to gain actionable insights into business performance. This type of analytics can help companies uncover hidden trends, conduct root-cause analyses, and quickly validate IoT solutions. Yet collecting, managing, visualizing, and analyzing time-series data at...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/24/updates-to-azure-time-series-insights-simplify-analysis-of-iot-datax/">Updates to Azure Time Series Insights simplify analysis of IoT data</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The unprecedented volume of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT) has made analysis of time-series data a powerful way to gain actionable insights into business performance. This type of analytics can help companies uncover hidden trends, conduct root-cause analyses, and quickly validate IoT solutions.</p> <p>Yet collecting, managing, visualizing, and analyzing time-series data at scale and in near-real time is a tall order for even the most capable of companies. That’s because sensors and connected devices can generate billions of data points every day, and businesses lack a centralized view of data and the ability to perform a unified query. Combining and visualizing disparate data types—in particular, time-series data and reference data—is daunting because organizations typically use multiple, non-integrated tools and techniques.</p> <p>Microsoft is addressing these challenges in a new update to the public preview of <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/root-cause-analysis-and-time-exploration-updates-to-azure-time-series-insights/">Azure Time Series Insights</a>, a managed cloud service that provides a global view of IoT-scale data with real-time visibility into time-series data across all locations. Updates to Time Series Insights include:</p> <ul> <li>Streamlined management of time-series data in the Azure Portal.</li> <li>Documentation on reference data API that makes it easier to combine time-series data with more static reference and historical data—and build custom solutions.</li> <li>A dynamic search span that allows businesses to customize and run repeatable queries using a single template, as well as use relative time spans in queries.</li> <li>A new feature that surfaces statistically significant patterns and enables users to quickly perform root-cause analyses and post-mortem investigations.</li> <li>Several new usability improvements to time navigation that help streamline triage and diagnosis.</li> <li>A time brush tool that makes it easier to move between time ranges when diagnosing sensor data.</li> <li>Updates to the JSON data interchange format that add the ability to import multi-content JSON payloads.</li> </ul> <figure id="attachment_23925" style="width: 2009px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/08/TSI_animation.gif"><img class="wp-image-23925 size-full" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/08/TSI_animation.gif" alt="A GIF showing patterns in the Time Series Insights stats tab and addition of a pattern as a new term. " width="2009" height="1099" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">A GIF showing patterns in the Time Series Insights stats tab and addition of a pattern as a new term.</figcaption></figure> <p>One company that’s benefiting from Microsoft’s IoT solutions is EcoLab, a leading provider of water and energy services that is creating a system to help its industrial customers reduce water use. Leveraging the <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/suites/iot-suite/">Azure IoT Suite</a>, EcoLab has combined approximately 10TB of time-series data like water use with sales and other data to help visualize and identify patterns. Azure has helped the company address an inherent IoT challenge: The ability to combine and analyze time-series data from operations processes around the world.</p> <p>Microsoft will continue to update and add functionality to Time Series Insights while in public preview. To find out more about how we are building the leading platform for analyzing time-series data, read <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-time-series-insights-api-reference-data-ingress-and-azure-portal-updates">our blog post</a> announcing new Time Series Insights capabilities. You can also <u><a href="https://info.microsoft.com/azureiot-unlock-insights-in-time-series-data-9-19-register.html">register</a></u> for our upcoming webinar, “Quickly unlock insights hidden in your time series data,” on September 19, 2017 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. PDT .</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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/24/updates-to-azure-time-series-insights-simplify-analysis-of-iot-datax/">Updates to Azure Time Series Insights simplify analysis of IoT data</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23916</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How Drenthe College Used IoT to Solve Its Scheduling Problems</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/22/how-drenthe-college-used-iot-to-solve-its-scheduling-problems/</link> <pubDate>Tue, 22 Aug 2017 16:00:09 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Drenthe College]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Machine learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Winvision]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=23877</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Drenthe College, based in the Netherlands, faced a problem that many educational facilities often encounter: their students and faculty were having a hard time finding free class and meeting spaces. The lack of room availability was surprising at first. In order to accommodate their growing body of 11,000-plus students, Drenthe College had constructed a number...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/22/how-drenthe-college-used-iot-to-solve-its-scheduling-problems/">How Drenthe College Used IoT to Solve Its Scheduling Problems</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.drenthecollege.nl/">Drenthe College</a>, based in the Netherlands, faced a problem that many educational facilities often encounter: their students and faculty were having a hard time finding free class and meeting spaces.</p> <p>The lack of room availability was surprising at first. In order to accommodate their growing body of 11,000-plus students, Drenthe College had constructed a number of new buildings in the past 10 years, yet all this extra space was still not being used efficiently. Measurements of afternoon usage revealed that, in some buildings, up to 35 percent of the rooms were empty. Paradoxically, students and faculty were still spending up to 15 minutes searching for an available room. Clearly, something was wrong.</p> <p>While Drenthe College was already attempting to predict classroom usage by counting students and teachers within a given period, the administration knew they needed a better way to measure capacity. They also wanted to update their scheduling system, which was originally designed for rigid class schedules and could not handle more rapid, on-the-fly meetings. As a result, rooms had to be requested well in advance, resulting in artificial bookings that made it difficult to discover which rooms were actually available.</p> <p>To remedy this, Drenthe College turned to <a href="http://www.winvision.nl">Winvision</a>, a Microsoft CityNext partner, to implement a scheduling solution that would make the process of finding meeting spaces much easier and more efficient. Rather than count the number of students and faculty, Winvision decided to discover underutilized spaces by installing over 500 Bluetooth-enabled sensors throughout Drenthe College that could track movement and sound to determine whether or not a room was being used. These sensors also measured factors such as temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels, giving the school a comprehensive view of their rooms.</p> <p>All this data was then sent through Azure IoT Hub, which connected to the school’s scheduling system and used Azure Stream Analytics to provide real-time updates about each room. In addition, Drenthe College deployed Azure Machine Learning to better predict room availability over the next several days, giving students and faculty a reliable way to schedule their meetings in advance.</p> <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='995' height='590' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pc6yAWdcRR0?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></div> <p>Winvision also worked with the Drenthe College IT team to develop a mobile app, enabling students and faculty to see, at a glance, whether a room is available, what sort of amenities it has, its current temperature, and humidity. If they wanted, they could even use this app to broadcast their location, making it easy for other students and faculty to find exactly where they are.</p> <p>Prior to the solution’s launch in September 2016, overall room usage stood around 65 percent. Since then, it has jumped to as high as 85 percent. Whereas students and teachers were previously spending 10 to 15 minutes trying to find a free space, they are now able to easily look ahead and book an available room immediately. “It’s much faster and easier to plan not just a meeting space but also our time,” Arnoud Wonnink, an E-Commerce instructor at Drenthe College, said. “The mobile website is just what we needed.”</p> <p>What’s more, by using IoT-connected technology, Drenthe College has been able to realize other benefits as well. For instance, because their sensors can detect environmental factors, such as temperature and whether lights are on, the school has been able to gain more control over their infrastructure and maintenance costs, and save as much as €150,000 ($163,897) a year. They have also used this system to track the location of school laptops and even predict the dropout risk for students, giving them valuable time to intervene.</p> <p>The success of Drenthe College is just the beginning. Already, Winvision has helped install over 3,000 additional sensors at colleges around the Netherlands, all of which are connected to Microsoft Azure systems due to their adaptability and scalability. Because these systems have been shown to demonstrate increased engagement and serve as an attractive selling point for prospective students, many schools are even integrating this type of IoT technology into their building and planning processes. All this spells a bright future for students and teachers in the Netherlands — as well as for anyone who cares about more efficient and successful schools.</p> <p>To learn more about Drenthe College’s smart campus solutions, <a href="https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/drenthe-college-education-office-365">read the customer story</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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/22/how-drenthe-college-used-iot-to-solve-its-scheduling-problems/">How Drenthe College Used IoT to Solve Its Scheduling Problems</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23877</post-id> </item> <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[<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...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/17/azure-iot-edge-whats-in-it-for-partners/">Azure IoT Edge: What’s in it for partners?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe class='youtube-player' type='text/html' width='995' height='590' 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></div> <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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/17/azure-iot-edge-whats-in-it-for-partners/">Azure IoT Edge: What’s in it for partners?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</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[<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...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/16/azure-event-grid-streamlines-iot-event-routing/">Azure Event Grid streamlines IoT event routing</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/16/azure-event-grid-streamlines-iot-event-routing/">Azure Event Grid streamlines IoT event routing</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</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[<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. Both companies have created new ways to seamlessly connect with Azure...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/electric-imp-and-particle-solutions-seamlessly-integrate-with-azure-iot-hub/">Electric Imp and Particle solutions seamlessly integrate with Azure IoT Hub</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/electric-imp-and-particle-solutions-seamlessly-integrate-with-azure-iot-hub/">Electric Imp and Particle solutions seamlessly integrate with Azure IoT Hub</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</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[<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. However, we’re now seeing that the Internet of Things (IoT) is enabling a more sustainable approach...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/sustainable-agriculture-grows-smarter-with-iot/">Sustainable agriculture grows smarter with IoT</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/10/sustainable-agriculture-grows-smarter-with-iot/">Sustainable agriculture grows smarter with IoT</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</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[<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...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/01/three-pitfalls-to-implementing-iot-and-how-to-beat-them/">Three pitfalls to implementing IoT (and how to beat them)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/08/01/three-pitfalls-to-implementing-iot-and-how-to-beat-them/">Three pitfalls to implementing IoT (and how to beat them)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</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[Featured]]></category> <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[<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. 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...</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/27/how-servitization-can-extend-manufacturers-horizons/">How Servitization Can Extend Manufacturers’ Horizons</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></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> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/07/27/how-servitization-can-extend-manufacturers-horizons/">How Servitization Can Extend Manufacturers’ Horizons</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot">Internet of Things</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">23496</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>