The Internet Of Things: What Is It And How Does It Impact You?
What exactly is the Internet of Things (IoT)? In the simplest of terms, it is the interconnection of devices which allows them to communicate and collect data fully. When we think of connecting devices, we typically think of our smartphones, computers, and TVs but the IoT goes way beyond this. The devices that are now being connected include such things as cars, jet engines, coffee makers, refrigerators, heart monitors and soon, potentially anything with an on/off switch could potentially be connected.. According to Gartner, it is expected that there will be 20.4 billion devices connected by 2020.
What does this mean? This means automation for more things than you can imagine and more real-time data than we will know what to do with. The possibilities are truly endless. The data has always been there, but these inter-networks are now allowing us a glimpse into valuable data as it is actually happening instead of having to filter through back-logged information. Now you may look at this and think, that’s great but how do I even make sense of this data? Luckily, there are analytic programs out there that can help make sense of this incredible wealth of data for us.
Now with all of this possible data being collected, how do we keep our data and our networks safe? Most at home smart devices were not innately created to be “secure.” These devices were designed for personal enjoyment and the convenience of the homeowner and do not have the same security measures and/or patches like the software on your phone or computer. This would not be a significant problem if these smart devices were only affecting the homeowner but, the average homeowner is also connecting to a work server at some point as well.
There are many cases where smart appliances have been hacked at home and through that breach were able to get into smartphones and then eventually into business networks. How do we protect against these breaches? There are some security measures like having separate networks specifically for phones, but most importantly, if your IT provider doesn't know about it, they can’t protect against it. So being completely forthcoming and honest with your IT provider is vital!
The team that knows these incredible devices and has the security expertise to protect you from the dangers associated with them are the Business Technology associates at Pendello Solutions. Give them a call today and make sure you tell them what all is connected at home and at the office! This amazing world of technology is necessary to grow your business to its full potential but just make sure you have to right security to keep you safe as you grow!
At Pendello Solutions, we turn technology hurdles into powerful assets. Our technology solutions fuel growth, productivity, and efficiency, through continuous innovation and strategic solutions, empowering your business beyond the imaginable. Contact us today to discover the Pendello Method.