- [Instructor] The IoT platform packages and commercializes
much of the network fabric required by the IoT product.
Structurally, an IoT platform is middleware.
It consists of the IoT product cloud,
the IT network and sometimes part of the OT network.
In some cases, it includes a development environment.
There are three main forms of IoT platforms.
First we have the Application Enablement Platform
or the AEP.
As the name describes,
it is more a holistic platform
that allows the manufacturer to develop their application
within the context of their networking.
The second type of IoT platform
is called the provisioning platform.
It has history in M2M and telematics.
Its primary purpose is to provision the SIM card
to establish a cellular connection.
The third type of IoT platform
is called the connectivity platform.
It is a subset of an AEP
and it simply establishes a connection
between a software module on the embedded system
and the internet.
This is generally what connected products use.
When using an IoT platform,
consider the risk of building your application
on rented land.
Develop it in a modular way
so it can be moved to a different platform.
There are two main IoT platform architectures.
The first is a publish and subscribe architecture
that uses messaging.
Generally, this is easier to implement.
However, the time of data delivery is less predictable.
The second architecture is a client server architecture.
While a little bit more complicated to implement,
it can be used in more real-time applications.
Most, if not all companies,
should buy or rent an IoT platform.
There are a few reasons for a company
to develop this middleware themselves.
While functionally important,
it is not strategically important
to develop this intellectual property in-house.