The of ANYthing Abstract It is projected that by 2020 there will be 50 billion things connected to the. This presents both unprecedented opportunity and challenge. In the global network of things, new things are created every day, using many different network types, on many different operating platforms, communicating on many different types of protocols. Businesses in today s global marketplace are readying themselves to overcome the complexities of the of Things and reap the benefits of the possibilities for innovation and efficiency that accompany this phenomenon. Cloud by Etherios provides a key solution to of Things initiatives. Cloud is a public cloud service designed to provide easy integration with devices and applications to facilitate real-time device network management and rapid M2M application development. This paper serves as an introduction to Cloud and how it is advancing the of Things. www.etherios.com/devicecloud A Division of Digi International About Etherios Etherios, a division of Digi International, is the M2M cloud solution expert. Etherios helps organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals with capabilities encompassing advisory, salesforce.com, wireless design and M2M services. Combined with Etherios cloud-based products, Cloud by Etherios and The A Social Division Machine, of Etherios Digi International offers the only complete end-to-end M2M solution.
What Is the of Things? Network-enabled devices that include embedded communication modules or that are designed to be used with gateways or routers are flooding the market. Consumer products that are designed to be used with a web or mobile application are becoming the norm. It is estimated that over 100 billion M2M-enabled devices are being shipped globally each year. This is the of Things and its creation is firmly underway. In its simplest form, the of Things describes how a device (a thing ) communicates with an application over the. Application How Does This Work? Taking a closer look, we see different types of devices comprising different types of networks that can communicate with a variety of applications over the. These applications may have multiple interfaces. These device networks connect with the and then communicate with the applications via a backhaul network. This backhaul network is the communications backbone of the infrastructure. The many types and individual components of infrastructure can create massive complexities for solution providers. To increase the speed to market, infrastructure must be packaged into services that are easily accessible and drive economies of scale. Local Area Different Types of s, Different Types of Wi-Fi 792424 ZigBee Router Applications 2
As a result, Infrastructure is typically packaged up and sold in portions, commonly referred to as: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS) Software as a Service (SaaS) Network of Things Router Wi-Fi Infrastructure Comprised of facilities, servers, storage, network routers, management software, middleware, device interfaces, application interfaces, security systems, network operations center, network backbone access, etc. Application Interfaces 792424 ZigBee Wireless Vehicle Area Network What Is Cloud? Cloud by Etherios is driving the of ANYthing, connecting any application, anywhere to anything, anywhere. Cloud is an infrastructure service designed to provide application integration with device networks. In the cloud stack it provides the services typically associated with IaaS and PaaS. Based upon an extended cloud computing model, Cloud solves the challenges of massive scalability and service reliability while meeting the security requirements of globally accepted standards for security and privacy. Integrating client software, web applications or mobile applications to Cloud is simple, using Etherios Cloud Connector and open APIs. Network of Things Router Infrastructure Application Interfaces Wi-Fi 792424 ZigBee Wireless Vehicle Area Network 3
Why Use Cloud? Cloud provides the most cost-effective way to release applications on a and manage device networks on a large-scale. As a device network grows, solution providers need to simplify the complexities of: Taking applications to market Integrating new things Managing infrastructure Managing growth Security requirements Cloud serves the purpose of providing data services to customer applications through published interfaces. This data comes from M2M devices that are used to connect local networks, such as ZigBee or Wi-Fi, to the cellular network. Cloud hides the complexity of the M2M integration. As new devices are released into the market, solution providers can take advantage of them without having to modify their application. Cloud s architecture allows the developer to remain focused on building great software, as opposed to building infrastructure, thus reducing time to market. Management Cloud provides all the tools needed to effectively manage the complexities of a dynamic device network and keep the network healthy and efficient through a single, secure web interface. Cloud s suite of management features include: Centralized Control Edit configurations, update firmware, download software and monitor the status and location of your remote assets via a web browser. Groups Control Group and tag devices to organize and simplify your network. Scheduled Operations Automate tasks, such as reboots or firmware update, to run on a one-time or recurring basis. Alarms and Notifications Receive immediate notification when a device enters a particular state and take corrective action. Carrier Subscription Management Activate or deactivate cellular lines and monitor data to ensure you never incur overage charges. 4
No Infrastructure Planning Required Using the Cloud to access and control devices is the only architecturally sound way to achieve the scale that will be required as the market evolves. By separating the architecture into layers, each of which can utilize virtualization technologies to scale services, growth can be supported seamlessly without disruption. Cloud is designed to meet and overcome the challenges of massive scalability, service availability and security. This takes significant investments in infrastructure, operations, facilities, technologies and personnel. Without cloud infrastructure, very few solutions would make it to market. Cloud greatly reduces the financial barriers to M2M deployment. Reliability and Security The requirements for cloud security are significant, and measured against the highest standards. In fact, many customer applications require these standards. As an example, consumer-based applications for home energy management must be compliant with the national security standard for critical infrastructure protection (CIP). Cloud s security policy is based upon a control matrix developed to support the standards set forth by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ISO/IEC 27002, North American Electric Reliability Corporation - Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) and the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). Cloud security technologies and processes prevent, detect, respond to, and audit cyber threats on a continuous basis. Cloud also offers a secure VPN service for enhanced security, with the VPN device placed on the customer premises. Using cryptography and uniquely agreed upon security properties, a VPN (also referred to as a tunnel ) is established between the networking equipment (including application servers and devices) and the Cloud to ensure full compliance with corporate standards and security requirements. The cost to an organization of building a dedicated private network increases exponentially as the business grows, particularly where remote and international locations are factors. With the Cloud VPN, a business will benefit from superior reach, quality of service and cost savings. Scalability Today s device network deployments must be able to adapt and expand seamlessly to support large numbers of devices, data-points and messaging. Depending on application requirements, the throughput requirements can easily exceed the transactional levels of today s global social network services. Cloud s throughput capability sets the standard for verified scalability elasticity. Broadcast-Grade Service Availability Cloud is designed to meet or exceed service availability requirements through commercial class clustering and fail-over technologies. There are currently two device clouds, in the US and in Europe. Both are hosted in multiple commercial class SAS 70 certified facilities and on par with the service availability requirements of major media broadcast networks, Etherios Cloud Operations supports, manages and monitors the Cloud 24/7, 365 days per year through support. Availability of Cloud is accessible at status.etherios.com. 5
Easy Application Integration Unlike the majority of cloud providers in the market, the Cloud boasts four Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Having multiple APIs enables a developer to create applications that are tailored to their specific market, withinan interface that is user-friendly. Etherios Cloud Connector is a family of free downloads that allows any device to integrate with Cloud. Solutions for Industry Industry applications include energy, fleet, tank, hospitality, medical, industrial equipment and consumer appliances. Learn more at www.etherios.com/devicecloud. A Division of Digi International About Etherios Etherios, a division of Digi International, is the M2M cloud solution expert. Etherios helps organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals with capabilities encompassing advisory, salesforce.com, wireless design and M2M services. Combined with Etherios cloud-based products, Cloud by Etherios and The A Social Division Machine, of Etherios Digi International offers the only complete end-to-end M2M solution. 91002510 B2/913