M2M vs. IoT
While many use the terms interchangeably, Machine-To-Machine M2M and Internet of Things IoT are not the same. IoT needs M2M, but M2M does not need IoT.
Both terms relate to the communication of connected devices, but M2M systems are often isolated, stand-alone networked equipment. IoT systems take M2M to the next level, bringing together disparate systems into one large, connected ecosystem.
M2M systems use point-to-point communications between machines, sensors and hardware over cellular or wired networks, while IoT systems rely on IP-based networks to send data collected from IoT-connected devices to gateways, the cloud or middleware platforms.
The boom market for machine-to-machine (M2M) — aka, the Internet of Things (IoT) — communications applications is here to stay. That means new career opportunities for developers who have vertical market, software integration and business collaboration know-how.
By 2020, 26 billion M2M units will be installed, Gartner Inc. reports. In this video interview, Object Management Group CEO Richard Soley discusses key market segments that stand to gain the most by embracing M2M communications. Organizations that have already begun to take advantage of M2M communications are using data to improve business. He advises developers and architects to use and improve analytics to determine and build the right products to satisfy customer needs.
In the next year, most of that activity will take place in retail, manufacturing and transportation businesses. Going forward, vertical markets will be the stronghold for M2M communications, Soley said. Developers who can translate into technologies vertical organizations’ goals for using M2M communications will succeed. Also, M2M application development should be on enterprise architects’ agenda, as more employees use their own mobile devices for business purposes.
Data collected from M2M devices is used by service management applications, whereas IoT data is often integrated with enterprise systems to improve business performance across multiple groups. Another way to look at it is that M2M affects how businesses operate, while IoT does this and affects end users.
For example, in the product restocking example above, M2M involves the vending machine communicating to the distributor’s machines that a refill is needed. Incorporate IoT and an additional layer of analytics is performed; the vending machine can predict when particular products will need refilling based on purchase behaviors, offering users a more personalized experience.
M2M security
Machine-to-machine frameworks confront various security issues, from unapproved access to remote interruption to gadget hacking. Physical security, protection, misrepresentation and the presentation of mission-basic applications should likewise be considered.
Run of the M2M lead to safety efforts incorporate influencing gadgets and machines to alter safe, implanting security into the machines, guaranteeing correspondence security through encryption and anchoring back-end servers, among others. Sectioning M2M gadgets onto their own particular system and overseeing gadget personality, information privacy and gadget accessibility can likewise help battle M2M security dangers.