Organizations are constantly looking for new technological advancements to improve their information management capabilities. One such innovation that is going to impact the field, as well as data management consultants’ work, is the Internet of Things (IoT). It is a concept which involves connecting physical objects with each other through the internet. Once connected the entities are able to identify each other and interact without requiring any human-to-human or human-to-machine interventions. Enterprises are generating large volumes of information at a great pace and they need new techniques to process and analyze this data rapidly. Just like artificial intelligence and machine learning have transformed the domain, IoT is also expected to affect the industry in a big way. Here are a few IoT trends for 2019 that are expected to become the norm soon. Data management consulting companies must know about these developments which will impact their work.
1. Edge Computing Will Fulfill Faster Processing Requirements
A big change that is expected to take place in the future is the growing use of edge computing. IoT systems cannot solely depend upon clouds to conduct data processing. Since smart devices will form the ecosystem, there will be growing challenges of bandwidth and network speed. In order to reduce latency, the processing will have to be done locally. This is where edge computing will be helpful. It involves a network of micro data centers which store or process all the vital information near the source. The data is then pushed out to a central or cloud-based repository. The entire concept of IoT is based on smart devices working by themselves. If the objects are not able to finish their tasks quickly, then the exercise will become pointless. Edge computing, therefore, will be vital to the technology and see wider acceptance.
2. Mitigating Security Risks Will Become Top Priority
The increased adoption of this technological innovation will throw up some new challenges. The proliferation of smart devices will open them to breaching hazards. Unethical elements will look for new ways to gain control of the entities and steal valuable information. Add to that the presence of strict privacy laws like GDPR and mitigating security risks will become a top priority for organizations. Endpoint security, in particular, will be the object of attention for businesses. They will look to secure their ecosystem along with edge domain. Vendors are creating better infrastructure which secures network health without causing data loss. They are also educating their clients by releasing material like best practices lists.
3. Increased Adoption By Diverse Industries
The third IoT trend that data management consultants must know is the increased adoption of the technology by diverse industries. The innovation is already making significant inroads in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturers are looking to create a consolidated production environment with operational and information technology data. They are also trying to integrate production procedures, business intelligence, and quality control into the ecosystem. Another industry that is embracing the technique is healthcare. Smart wearables that monitor a patient’s condition and are integrated with electronic health records is just one example of the technology’s application. Advisors will have to study the specifics uses, risks, challenges, and opportunities associated with IoT’s use in different sectors to provide customized service.
4. Blockchain Will Be Used To Secure IoT Environments
As mentioned before, securing IoT systems is going to be a major concern for businesses. These systems are vulnerable mainly because of their centralized architecture. Another technological advancement is expected to solve the serious security issue. Blockchain is being considered as the answer to IoT’s security problems. In a blockchain, there is no single authority which can approve the processes. It is decentralized and public which means all the users control their specific nodes and grant approval. As the database is extended, there is no way that anyone can alter a previous record. Blockchain technology can be integrated into the devices of an ecosystem to make them tamper-proof and secure their valuable data.
5. 5G Networks Will Facilitate Real-time Analysis
Another technical advancement that is going to affect IoT is the roll-out of the fifth-generation cellular network technology commonly known as 5G. It is expected that these new wireless networks will be much faster and responsive than previous ones. As latency and network capacity improve, IoT systems will become more efficient. When the network becomes functional in more and more locations, organizations there will start adopting the Internet of Things to improve their functioning. One of the biggest benefits of 5G is increased network speed. This will enable organizations to process large volumes of data quickly and conduct analyses in real-time. Data consultants must know when their geographical location is switching to the new network and create their advisory strategies accordingly.
Conclusion
Efficient information management requires the synergized efforts of knowledgeable human resources and suitable technological systems. Data management services consultants need to be aware of the latest technological advancements so that they can provide better services to their clients. They must know about these IoT trends that are expected to make an impact on the way businesses collect and process data.
