The technology of the Internet of Things (IoT) is not going away. The number of IoT devices deployed will expand at an exponential rate, from 15.4 billion in 2015 to 30.7 billion in 2020 and 75.4 billion in 2025.

IoT Gateway is now one of the most crucial components of the complete IoT network to support such networks of IoT devices that are projected to become more complicated.

The sections below will discuss IoT Gateways and why they are so crucial.

Explaining an IoT Gateway Device

IoT Gateway works as a communication bridge between IoT Sensor Network and Cloud Server, either as a physical device or as a virtual software code.

The architecture of an IoT Gateway device is layered. The IoT Gateway’s processing power and memory specs are defined by the hardware platform. 

This is the Gateway’s brain, and the hardware platform is chosen based on the complexity of the IoT apps to be deployed.

When it comes to operating systems, the decision to use one over another is influenced by legacy systems. To save money and ensure seamless integration, it’s essential to stick with the OS that’s compatible with your current systems.

The analytics engine is the layer that ensures that raw data is transformed into useful information. The integrated application development platform and device drivers enable the creation and deployment of new IoT devices, apps, and systems.

Understanding the Significance of an IoT Gateway

The number of key actions done by an IoT Gateway device can be used to determine its relevance. It promotes interoperability across the IoT network. 

This is ensured by IoT Gateway’s compatibility with a variety of communication protocols, including Zigbee, 6lowpan, Bluetooth, WiFi, LoRA, and Zwave.

Relevant sensors are installed on all equipment that needs to be monitored or controlled. These sensors are IP-based, and the IoT Gateway is in charge of connecting them to the cloud server.

IoT Gateway makes devices available online via sensors and the cloud. It manages device configuration, provides device authentication for secure network access, and supports edge analytics, in addition to bringing the IoT network to life.

Witnessing the IoT Gateway and Edge Analytics Evolution

IoT Gateways of the first generation were created to make communication protocol interoperability and device administration easier. Data analytics at the edge, however, was not supported. 

All analytics are performed on the cloud server with the first-generation IoT Gateway. Edge analytics is supported by the Second Generation IoT Gateway, ensuring lower data transfer costs and extending the benefits of data analytics to local networks.

The third generation of IoT Gateway devices is a new generation that increases overall system responsiveness while also supporting new operating models. Because IoT Gateway devices get massive amounts of data from sensors on a regular basis, they can sometimes overload the main system. 

To avoid this, the new generation analyses data from a variety of sensors, prioritises and delivers critical information to the main system, and sends alarms if necessary.

Conclusion

The current generation of IoT Gateways is intelligent. For instance, if the Gateway detects that the temperature is too high, it can send instructions to the air conditioner to switch on. 

They can filter out high-priority data from the data they receive. They’re also capable of acting on the information they’ve gathered. 

If you want to know more about how IoT Gateways can help your company, don’t hesitate to set up a consultation with Ultraviolet! 

We scale your business to operate globally, with simplified roaming through cloud-powered intuitive global IoT sims that lie at the heart of every IoT application. Check out our services today!