Azure Opens Preview of IoT Service
Research conducted by Gartner shows that the Internet of Things (IoT) will consist of 26 billion devices by 2020. Microsoft Azure has created a new service in its cloud that is specially tailored for these devices. The new service will be known as Azure Intelligent Systems Service. This cloud service will record analytics provided by devices and the service can be configured to make decisions based on the harvested data. The announcement of the preview of this new service was announced by newly anointed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at a tech conference near San Francisco.
Microsoft has created an IoT team that specifically focuses on this new technology. In order to gain access to this service, you must submit an application on the Microsoft connect website portal. In relation to the preview, Microsoft‘s website talks about the need to give these devices a platform that can be easily utilized from both a business intelligence standpoint and a security standpoint. Microsoft’s website goes on to say that “The result is a more comprehensive and much faster solution to deliver, accelerating adoption and deployment to yield enterprise value. A unified approach to security distinguishes the solution with enterprise-grade security developed and supported by Microsoft.”
The service is still in preview mode which means that many of the features are still in a beta stage. If you encounter any bugs, be sure to report them as Microsoft will be making updates continuously to this new platform.
The Internet of Things will represent two important facets of the cloud. From a business perspective, having data on demand can give your organization certain competitive advantages. In your household, the Internet of Things will allow you to connect devices to the cloud that will help you live a smarter, more healthful life. An example of this innovation is apparent in many of Samsung’s new household products that give consumers real time data delivered directly on their mobile devices. Platforms such as Azure Intelligent Systems Service will serve as the base for many of these new consumer innovations.
