IoT device management is defined as a collection of processes, tools, and technologies that help you configure, monitor, and maintain the growing number of connected objects (also known as IoT endpoints or edge devices) in your home or business network.
As more and more devices become network-enabled, the demand for IoT device management software is rising. According to Cisco's annual Internet Report (2018-2023), there will be 29.3 billion connected devices by 2023 - that is, 3.6 devices for every person on the planet.
According to a 2020 research report from Valuates Reports, the demand for IoT device management will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.6% between 2021 and 2026. By the end of the forecast period, IoT device management will be a $6.25 billion market worldwide.
Do IoT devices need to be managed? Aren't they autonomous? It's true that many IoT devices don't need ongoing management, but some aspects of the IoT lifecycle still need oversight. Some of the key processes necessary in the life cycle of IoT devices are:
Key Components of IoT Device Management
Device Onboarding: When an IoT device is first turned on, it needs to log into the network. But unlike traditional devices, they don't have a full, separate interface to guide users to sign in. Checking credentials, defining authentication protocols, assigning device identifiers, and so on are just some of the steps you can expect during the device login process.
Device Configuration: Each IoT device on the network must be configured according to business needs.
Operational Diagnostics: Diagnostics can reveal many useful insights into IoT operations. Most IoT devices don't have enough memory or compute resources to analyze diagnostics on the device itself, which is why you need centralized IoT device management capabilities.
Device Security: This will become an increasingly important part of IoT device management. In 2020, as much as 98% of IoT device traffic in the United States was allowed to pass through unencrypted channels, despite accounting for 30% of all endpoints. IoT device management brings unmapped endpoints into organizational oversight and applies the necessary security protocols.
Device maintenance: In addition to updating your device firmware to the latest version, you should also be aware of any security vulnerabilities that may pass unnoticed through the new version. IoT device management uses over-the-air (OTA) updates for device maintenance, which, like onboarding or configuration, is also performed in bulk.
End of Life: IoT devices that are no longer used but are still part of an enterprise network pose a huge security risk - external entities can capture data through the device without anyone noticing. In addition, outdated or non-functional equipment can cause serious operational damage. End-of-life policies and processes clearly specify how IoT devices are decommissioned, what decommissioning steps are required, and how materials are recycled to reduce their carbon footprint.
It is possible to manually manage some devices, but if you scale this to a large number of devices, it quickly becomes a headache. It also means there are a lot of inconsistencies in your IoT device inventory, which can mean outdated software, lost or malfunctioned devices, excess data, and inaccurate reporting.
Fortunately, there is a solution, and that is the Wedora IoT device management platform, which can help you optimize your device inventory and more. Click to check out.
For more info please refer to:
http://www.spiceworks.com/tech/iot/articles/what-is-iot-device-management/
