IoT gateways play a key role in the convergence of IT and OT. IoT as popularly understood by the world is a technology that connects ‘things’ to the Internet. But often, these things do not have the capability to connect to an IoT platform on their own. In such cases, IoT gateways help devices to intersect or connect with the network, cloud or data center. These gateways can either be dedicated hardware or software programs.
Use case
Considering a use case of a connected office environment, there will be several sensors associated with equipment like lights, HVAC system, security systems, CCTVs, etc. These sensors are used to capture data such as:
- Temperature
- Luminosity
- Noise
- Position of people and equipment
- Particles in the air
- Security feed
Each of these devices use different protocols like WiFi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet to connect to the network. They connect to different control environments and have different models for management and security. Some of these sensors or controllers might use low energy and may not support energy-intensive protocols like WiFi and Bluetooth, which may affect their connectivity.
IoT gateways come handy in such situations. They help in provisioning critical functions like:
- Device connectivity
- Protocol translation
- Data filtering and processing
- Security management
IoTConnect gateways’ roles and benefits
Enhanced connectivity and security
IoTConnect ensures the integrity of the network and system in both directions with secured IoT gateways.
Protocol and data bridge
With IoTConnect’s gateways, you can translate and transfer data of systems with different communications protocols and data formats.
You can read more about gateways in our user guide.