Internet of Things overload, part two

The blog mentioned Intel's recent establishment of an IoT Solutions Group and I wondered what Intel's angle might be. Gareth Noyes, vp of strategy and corporate development for Intel subsidiary Wind River, has brought me up to date. "The IoT is about connecting intelligent systems," he said, "especially systems that can aggregate data, make sensible decisions and send actions back. The IoT isn't just about sensors passing data into the cloud." In his opinion, the IoT has four levels: sensors and actuators; intelligent devices; networks; and gateways to the cloud. Intel and Wind River, said Noyes, expect to contribute from intelligent devices upwards. And he believes the IoT will need a lot more computing resources at all levels; there needs to be scalable solutions for multiple markets. "Wind River has strength in the control of intelligent devices," he offered, "while Intel has just released a family of IoT gateway products." Security will be an important element of the IoT and there's another Intel brand that will play a significant role here – McAfee. Probably best known for pc protection software, McAfee is a well known brand amongst IT professionals. "Wind River builds safe systems for critical apps," Noyes noted, "and McAfee has an IT centric view. IoT systems will need to cross the boundaries between the IT and embedded worlds." But one thing with which he agrees is the level of hype surrounding the IoT. "It's similar to the cloud a couple of years ago. That went away because people saw its value. We're getting to the same point with the IoT."