The Future of IoT Deployment: Gateway-less Solutions

When thinking about connected devices, you will immediately think of some examples.Whether it’s cars, door sensors, or medical devices, they connect and process data in different ways.

Some iterations are smarter than others.Cameras can connect to Wi-Fi access points and send data directly to the cloud.Door sensors are simpler.Both technologies require connection to an intermediate physical device on the network, which processes data and sends it out.

They are called IoT gateways, playing an important role in IoT deployments by collecting and aggregating sensor data from various devices.The IoT gateway device connects the communication gap between IoT devices, sensors, devices, systems, and the cloud.By systematically connecting on-site and cloud, IoT gateway devices provide local processing and storage solutions, as well as the ability to autonomously control on-site devices based on sensor data input.

From there, they convert between sensor protocols, process data from these sensors and devices, and then send the data out for processing.With simpler devices and sensors, they typically connect to the IoT gateway using short-range wireless transmission modes (e.g., Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-wave) or remote modes like LTE, LTE-M, or even Wi-Fi.

Once connected, the IoT gateway will provide some key functions, including:

• Bridging communications and facilitating machine-to-machine (or M2M) communication.

• Offline support services, so WAN connection is not always required.

• Data extraction, cleaning, filtering, localization, and even early analysis before sending to the cloud or remote data centers.

• As an additional layer of security for IoT gateways, acting as a buffer between the WAN and devices.

• Real-time configuration, control, management, and change management tracking.

However, IoT gateways do add an extra component to the network, along with another potential attack vector that could be compromised.This means you will have an additional device on the network that must be updated, managed, and secured.That said, what happens when we remove this IoT gateway?Will future edge and distributed computing solutions be able to handle the billions of IoT and connected devices coming online in the next few years?

To achieve gateway-less IoT deployment, some changes must be made.

A New Realm for IoT Devices

Even today, IoT gateways still play a crucial role in helping sensors and devices connect to an intermediate source that collects data and sends it out for further processing and analysis.However, edge computing is specifically designed to overcome the challenges of IoT connectivity.

Edge computing architecture helps with latency.Combined with 5G technology (where latency is typically less than 1 millisecond and speeds exceed 100 Mbps), a powerful platform will allow devices close to the edge to connect and process all data.

Is the Edge the New IoT Gateway?

The real answer is not black and white; it depends on the situation.In the next five years or so, edge deployments will become a key component of IoT integration and collaboration between connected devices.In fact, assuming the edge network is close enough and meets your requirements, you will be able to connect simple devices and sensors directly to the edge ecosystem.

Moreover, you will be able to process data faster at the edge and gain deeper insights into the information being collected.You will be able to integrate with other analytics or services that are already part of that edge ecosystem.By leveraging powerful edge and 5G platforms, you will be able to analyze data faster as it will connect to a broader, quicker network.

When we compare this to the list above, you will quickly notice that edge and 5G can act as new IoT gateways, but at the edge.These systems are designed to:

• Support connected devices and M2M communication

• Be capable of advanced data extraction and processing

• Be designed to ensure data and physical infrastructure security

• Provide real-time access and control of devices

However, despite the powerful capabilities of the edge ecosystem, there are still some challenges in functionality.Specifically, in some cases, IoT gateways may be less reliable in edge architectures:

• If the connection to the edge ecosystem is lost, data, performance, and even management functions may be lost until the connection is restored.

• You will lose offline support capabilities that allow you to continue processing and using local data.

• You may lose some security protections because connected devices must go to the edge for connection.However, this is debatable as a good edge ecosystem is very secure.

• Depending on your organization, you may encounter compliance issues surrounding data.This may prevent you from sending certain types of data points outside the enterprise.

Ensure to plan ahead and truly understand the types of connected devices you have and how they interact with the corresponding data.

The Future of IoT Design

So, will the edge become the future IoT gateway?In many cases, this is true, but it is not the end of IoT gateways.Of course, in some situations, a local IoT gateway may be needed, especially in latency-sensitive cases.However, data security and integrity requirements may further necessitate the use of localized approaches to handle IoT data.

Edge maturity will still take a few years.If you are deploying IoT solutions, ensure you cover the basics.You need to understand latency and connectivity requirements and how to manage data and device communication.That is to say, understand how powerful the edge ecosystem’s capabilities are in the near and distant future.Do not shy away from testing the edge opportunities as it can be a driver for your business. (Compiled/Y)