Internet of Everything (IoE): 4 Pillars of IoE

“And just like any company that blissfully ignored the Internet at the turn of the century, the ones that dismiss the Internet of Things risk getting left behind.”

 

— Jared Newman

 

We all know how technology has changed our lives. Not only we are dependent on it for everything but we cannot imagine five seconds of our life without it. Technology has brought us the internet which has become one of the basic necessities of our lives, similar to food, water, and home. 

 

The newest generation is now a tech savvy lot of people. Technology has changed rapidly over time and new inventions have been both a boon and a bane to us. We are now a generation that still uses a calculator and a laptop but these are accompanied with all numerous hi-tech graphics and processors.

 

In this blog we will tackle another important invention in the field of technology and the internet that has changed the way businesses and daily life are carried out. It is called internet of everything or IoE in short. We will also understand the basic pillars and practical applications of IoE.

 

(Recommended blog - IoT Examples)

 

What is IoE?

 

Before understanding the concept of IoE let us learn first about IoT. In simple words- IoT is a network. It is a network of physical objects that are implanted in various things like softwares and sensors to connect and exchange meaningful information and data over the internet. 

 

You can find IoT enabled devices at home too. Washing machines, air conditioners, digital printers, and smart Tvs are all IoT enabled now. But the applications of IoT are not limited to home. 

 

There are many industrial applications of IoT too. IoT is used for smart manufacturing, smart cities as well. In a recent study it was reported that currently there are almost 10 billion IoT connected devices and by 2025 this number will change to 22 billion.

 

Now that we understand about IoT we can learn about the Internet of Everything also known as IoE. In layman’s language, IoE has a bigger scope and it aims to look at IoT in a bigger manner. IoE is also a network and if you analyse it closely it has an edge in decentralization and digital transformations.

 

IoE offers a wider perspective on IoT. Whenever we use this term Cisco comes to our find. Cisco along with some other companies use this concept. Cisco is on a great lead when it comes to IoT, networks, securities, optimization of processes etc. 

 

The general perception was that IoE was just to transcend the machine to machine processes. But IoE brings together people, processes, things and data. These are also called the 4 pillars of IoE. All these pillars combine together to form the most reliable network and a platform through which numerous things are possible. New capabilities, better experiences, more opportunities for business and individuals will be given by IoE.

 

(Get to know how IoE is different from IoT - IoT vs IoE)

 

Applications of IoE

 

• Fog computing 

 

It is a type of edge computing that speeds up things and frees bandwidth and other resources in a non-distributed fashion. This concept of computing was also propagated by Cisco.

 

• Cybersecurity

 

The method of cybersecurity is becoming more decentralized such that even at the endpoint security measures will be present. It is not only about IoT security but about overall cybersecurity. Risks are always present and mitigating them is the best option we have with us. 

 

Both IoT and IoE are very much related in terms of technologies, concepts. But IoE has a wider scope. It focuses on the end results or outcomes. Identities play an important role in it. If in any way identity is compromised then the whole perimeter will be defeated. 

 

Therefore, creating an identity that is fit for the virtual world will always be a challenge in IoE. Hacking is a crime and if identities are hacked in any way the whole virtual infra created will be compromised as well. Not mentioning the fact that ethical hacking is one of the applications of IoT. As a result the application of technology is also an issue in some cases.

 

 

4 pillars of IoE

 

“At the first level, digital technology is improving our products, services and processes, our customer and constituent experiences, and the way we work in our organizations and within our partnerships,”

- Hung Le Hong, research vice president and Gartner Fellow.

 

This quote said by Hung Le Hong mentions all the 4 pillars of IoE. These components will play an important role in businesses and other areas in the coming future.

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4 pillars of IoE

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1. People

 

The first pillar of IoE is people. People include all the customers that want the services. They are impatient and want immediate services. Moreover, companies try to provide services to their customers in order to satiate their needs. 

 

Through technology we are able to connect to the market that offers so many products and services. Before the internet there were not ample opportunities for the customers. 

 

Now it is a basic necessity to connect with the world and keep ourselves entertained in every way. IoE will provide all such things to us. This is one of the reasons why IoE will be our future and we will rely on it.

 

2. Data

 

Data in itself cannot be meaningful. In order to make it meaningful and usable we interpret and analyse it. Only then we will have information with us. IoE has the capacity to analyse and interpret a lot of consumer data. 

 

Without understanding the user data companies cannot make what people want. Data is therefore a crucial pillar of IoE. Accurate and reliable insights can be derived with the help of IoE.

 

3. Things

 

Things are physical objects like laptops, mobiles, tablets, watches etc. With the help of these devices we are connected to the internet. Smart watches can detect the number of steps that we take. GPS on our mobiles can help us track people and find locations. These devices can sense the data and record it. 

 

Once the data is gathered these devices can analyse and use it for the processes. It is almost as if we can interact with the internet through these devices as a medium. 

 

4. Process

 

The whole concept of IoE relies on the processes. It is the processes that are carried out right from the start. Gathering data is one process and analysing it is another. 

 

There are different software programs that are carried on to analyse and interpret the data. So, everytime any input is provided by the user, processes are carried out to get to the outcome.

 

(Recommended blog - Data Science in IoT)

 

There are many industries that have adopted IoE. Just like the healthcare sector. For them IoE helps in reducing the cost. IoE can detect the aids and various stages so that no ill patient reaches an extreme stage in their ailment. 

 

Apart from the healthcare sector IoE is used in automobile sector, energy sector, insurance, telecom, manufacturing, and automation sector. The phrase “instant gratification” is now possible through IoE. For a new business it is better to adopt these softwares from the initial phase.