IoT Architecture – The Art of Building Smart Systems

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IOT ARCHITECTURE
In this article we will discuss IoT
Architecture Alexa! Turn off the light, we all
know that this task happens in a millisecond, but
only a few of us know what happens behind the
scenes. In this article, we shall try to
understand the architecture of IoT as we scale
down each layer of the 4 stage architecture IoT
system.
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THE 4-STAGE IOT ARCHITECTURE
The most used architecture for the Internet of
Things is the 4-stage architecture which has 4
phases in it. There is no rule stating that only
the 4 stage architecture of IoT will be used all
the time, but the twist is that these four stages
will always be used no matter how many stage
architectures you use. By phases, I mean the path
that the action traverses. So to achieve a
specific action, be it smart watches, smart
homes, driverless cars, or any other example, the
data has to traverse or go through these phases.
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IMPORTANCE OF IOT ARCHITECTURE
In IoT, Data collection is enabled by having
devices (or sensors) connected to the internet
via their own IP address. The quintessence of
this is to track data through their sensors,
perform calculations and make them available for
consumption to their users.
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THE 4 STAGES OF IOT ARCHITECTURE
Okay, enough talk. Lets get down to the matter
at hand. The four phases or stages of IoT
architecture are 1. Sensors and Actuators 2.
Internet Gateway 3. Edge IT 4. Data Center and
Cloud
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ADVANTAGES OF IOT
1. Cost reduction IoT devices catch problems and
bugs very fast when compared to traditional
debugging. It saves not only the cost of repairs
but also time. 2. Efficiency IoT devices are
very productive and efficient. One such example
is an automated PDF converter, which removes the
hassle of PDF editing and archiving. 3. Mobility
Thanks to IoT, employees can work from any
geographical location, anytime, without any
restrictions. 4. Supports Various Technologies
IoT supports technologies like big data
analytics, cloud computing, wireless sensor
networks, embedded systems, and many more.
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SUMMARY
Now you know exactly what happens every time you
say, Alexa! Turn up the temperature. We have
now seen the importance of IoT architecture and
the four different phases of it and concluded
with some advantages and disadvantages of IoT.