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Internet of Things

Guidance: The Internet of Things Stack for CIOs

CEOs and CIOs who consider to enter the Internet of Things (IoT) market need to understand, which capabilities are waiting for them and at which level they are keen to play along. In addition, develop an IoT solution means to research lots of providers and and suppliers in order to find the appropriate partner for the needs. Crisp Research’s IoT stack distinguishes the most important players in the Internet of Things categorized by IoT platform providers and IoT product vendors.

The IoT platform providers are split into the categories IoT back-end and IoT enablement. Crisp Research classifies the different providers as follows:

  • IoT back-end providers: IT infrastructure is the foundation for the deployment of IoT application and services. Cloud platforms are playing a dominant role. Popular IoT back-ends are Amazon Web Services, Cisco IoT Cloud Connect or Microsoft Azure.
  • IoT enablement and middleware providers: This group includes providers of middleware who combine and integrate data as well as providers of analytics solutions who analyze and visualize data. Relevant players in this area are not only traditional IT providers like IBM, Intel and SAP but also several startups like Splunk and Parstream and industrial companies like Bosch SI and GE Software.
  • IoT network and connectivity providers: In order to establish a secure and powerful connection between the physical and digital world and to bind sensors over several communication and network standards, network and telecommunication providers are playing an elementary role in the IoT value chain.
  • IoT integrators and consultants: This providers support companies with consulting during the conception, implementation and operation of IoT services and applications. They need to have process and industry know-how as well as experience with IoT projects.
  • IoT solution and service providers: IoT product vendors represent different kind of companies producing IoT devices (wearables, sensor systems), IoT services for end users (smart home, fitness, self tracking) up to industrial specific solutions (industrial internet).
  • IoT users: IoT users are divided into the categories industrial Internet, consumer IoT and government IoT. Industrial Internet includes e.g. smart power grids, connected mobility and smart logistic. Consumer IoT includes wearables, smart home and self-tracking solutions. Government IoT contains solutions healthcare, public security and military.

By Rene Buest

Rene Buest is Gartner Analyst covering Infrastructure Services & Digital Operations. Prior to that he was Director of Technology Research at Arago, Senior Analyst and Cloud Practice Lead at Crisp Research, Principal Analyst at New Age Disruption and member of the worldwide Gigaom Research Analyst Network. Rene is considered as top cloud computing analyst in Germany and one of the worldwide top analysts in this area. In addition, he is one of the world’s top cloud computing influencers and belongs to the top 100 cloud computing experts on Twitter and Google+. Since the mid-90s he is focused on the strategic use of information technology in businesses and the IT impact on our society as well as disruptive technologies.

Rene Buest is the author of numerous professional technology articles. He regularly writes for well-known IT publications like Computerwoche, CIO Magazin, LANline as well as Silicon.de and is cited in German and international media – including New York Times, Forbes Magazin, Handelsblatt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Wirtschaftswoche, Computerwoche, CIO, Manager Magazin and Harvard Business Manager. Furthermore Rene Buest is speaker and participant of experts rounds. He is founder of CloudUser.de and writes about cloud computing, IT infrastructure, technologies, management and strategies. He holds a diploma in computer engineering from the Hochschule Bremen (Dipl.-Informatiker (FH)) as well as a M.Sc. in IT-Management and Information Systems from the FHDW Paderborn.