The internet of things (IoT) already connects devices and sensors to software applications and business processes for many companies. We see this being taken advantage of in smart meters, mobile devices, and more. For new technologies, boarding the IoT train isn’t very difficult. For mission critical infrastructure, most have yet to even purchase their train ticket. As a result, the promise of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) has yet to be realized.
The problem is that most of our world’s critical infrastructure was built a long time ago and as such, is difficult to connect. Oil and gas processing, building automation systems, manufacturing floor processes, and transportation infrastructure have been generating data used in decision-making for many years, they just haven’t been able to automate collection in a way that allows them to fully and efficiently utilize it. Now, the cloud and advances in big data analytics make it possible to gain new efficiencies or more insight—and therefore, value—from thousands of data points and variables being generated by existing connected systems.