Less than ten years ago the modern smart phone did not exist. The idea that household appliances would join the network, sending reports to their owners over the Internet was science fiction or toys for the super rich. Today smart phones are used to access the Internet more than traditional computers, refrigerators that network are at your local appliance store and children’s dolls connect to remote servers to provide realistic simulated conversations. Welcome to the future.
It’s here!
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is here. Devices from coffee makers to wearable tech to remote data collectors all connect to the network, often with little or no input from their owners after the initial setup. Software has to be developed to control these devices, gather the data they collect, store it, analyze it, and send useful information to the user. Data streams are the digital data sent to and from devices over the network. Without them our modern connected world could not exist.
Every device connected to the network sends data, if only a simple, “I’m here!” Most IoT devices don’t require much bandwidth because they send and receive simple text data much more often than images or video. An insulin pump only needs to send a date, time, and 3 digit number for doctors to monitor blood sugar levels, and a refrigerator doesn’t need a high speed network to send a grocery list. Because IoT devices don’t require much bandwidth having several in a home shouldn’t impact network performance significantly.
Even with data streams, the Internet of Things would not work without programmers who understand the requirements of streaming data across the Internet. The app programmers must understand how to accurately gather data and encrypt it for transmission. Network designers and administrators have to understand the bandwidth needed for the data and the limitations of the networks the devices may use, and the server admins and database programmers have to properly receive the data, store it, and analyze it.
So what?
Finding people who understand the challenges of programming apps that connect to the Internet and the benefits and pitfalls of sending a data stream over the Internet can be difficult. ITStaff can supply people who understand the Internet of things and data streams. Whether you need developers, project managers, testers or other skills to move a project from conception to shipping, ITStaff is your source for highly qualified, fully vetted professionals as consultants and contract workers.