The configuration, management, and protection of devices in IoT products require careful planning at the beginning of the process. A rigorous evaluation of the options and then a proof of concept will help determine the correct solution. Once the proof of concept is approved, the IoT products will enter the production stage. Then, the real fun begins, and many strategic considerations come into play. We list them as follows:

▲Powerful and secure OTA software update

▲Safety design

▲Scalability

▲Automation

▲Remote terminal management

▲Equipment configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting

Powerful and secure OTA software update

Strong and secure OTA software updates are essential to keep IoT devices safe. Because the software on these devices will become obsolete during its life cycle, if it remains in its initial state, there will definitely be loopholes. Therefore, from the beginning of the project to the end of the life cycle, safety, risk tolerance, and efficient update mechanisms must become the core of each product development team.

Safe design

Equipment security breach events may disrupt operations, damage the system, and negatively affect virtual and physical processes. This can lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of business. As Colin Duggan, the founder and CEO of BG Networks, said in an interview with Device Chronicle, “After the design is complete, it is difficult to increase security. There are many reasons. Embedded systems have limited MHz, memory, and embedded systems. Network interface restrictions on the processor. Security features can be added after the design is complete, but usually will not eliminate all vulnerabilities." This is why safety is ensured by design in the early stages of the product life cycle.

Scalability

There is a significant difference between managing a small number of embedded devices and deploying thousands or even millions of devices in the field. Microsoft's new IoT signal report found that lack of scalability is the main reason for the failure of IoT projects. Complexity is one of the biggest scalability issues. Therefore, choosing the right solution with the right architecture is very important to protect the long-term management feasibility of the networked device cluster.

Automation

In order to prevent any risks caused by human error, automating certain processes is a solution that can reduce losses for enterprises. Mender is an OTA software update manager for embedded devices that provides extensive automation to safely manage these devices. One of the features provided by Mender is to automatically retry failed device deployments. Device deployment may fail due to various intermittent reasons, such as power outages, network or device usage. Automatic retry on failure can reduce the device deployment error rate by up to 90%. This translates into time and money savings in managing deployments, and allows customers to receive updates faster.

Remote terminal management

Remote terminal management is necessary for any type of embedded device. Any company launching an IoT product needs to control its system from a central location. Compared with VPN access, service providers prefer SSH, secure tunnels, and remote terminal access because they can ensure the security of customers when accessing and troubleshooting equipment. In addition, management also includes grouping and access to embedded devices, remote and secure configuration and monitoring.

Equipment configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting

The correct device management settings should not be ignored. Powerful and secure device management is a necessary cornerstone of IoT products, so you need to find high-quality solutions. Once you have deployed thousands or millions of devices in the field, you need to be able to configure them correctly, collect data, and quickly resolve any issues that arise. Many organizations view these functions as an afterthought, which will lead to hasty repairs, and this may have a serious impact on the robustness and safety of connected devices.

In order to launch a successful, secure and powerful IoT product, the above key factors must be considered before launch.