The transformation of IoT: The role of hyperscalers in the rise of IoT

The future relies on the Internet of Things. By 2030, there will likely be upwards of 17 billion connected IoT devices carrying data around the world. Hyperscale computing – largely offered through such notable data center giants as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS) – has become an essential tool to handle these vast quantities of data.  

By leveraging public, private, community or hybrid cloud models, hyperscalers have redefined the IoT ecosystem, lowering the cost of infrastructure investments and providing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) services at scale.  

This allows providers to rapidly provision computing resources that offer the following five essential cloud features, as outlined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the NIST SP 800-145 report* “The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing”.  

1. On-demand self-service – resources are available when and where you need them 
2. Broad network access – different types of devices can access services at the same time 
3. Resource pooling – communities can share network space without losing computing power 
4. Rapid elasticity – usability can be scaled up or down according to your needs 
5. Measured service – minimal management or service provider interaction is required  

By enabling these features, hyperscalers help improve supply chain efficiency and enable low-touch provisioning, as well as nudging MVNEs to consider different commercial approaches.  

Although hyperscale computing has leveraged the cloud in many beneficial ways, the proliferation of IoT devices equates to billions upon billions of smaller data sets that still need to be combined and interpreted effectively for maximum value.  

What’s missing from hyperscalers’ IoT infrastructure and service models for MVNEs?  

Connectivity.   

Industry professionals report that a solution with built-in connectivity falls near the very top of their IoT capability wish list.** After all, if you can’t reliably and securely get your data from the edge to the cloud, you can’t benefit from what hyperscale computing has to offer.  

Global infrastructure, experience, and expertise allow connectivity providers to bring greater flexibility, security and growth to the IoT ecosystem. And, when you combine those connectivity solutions with the capabilities offered by hyperscale computing, you can save up to 28% on your IoT connection costs. 

At the basic level, a Connectivity Management Platform (CMP) connects your devices to the network, providing a reliable delivery system to get your data from the IoT edge to the hyperscale cloud. But if you’re considering maximizing your data’s potential by utilizing the power that hyperscale has to offer, “basic” isn’t enough.  

With more than 20 years of market-leading expertise in roaming and international connectivity, including more than 5 billion mobile subscribers, BICS offers the IoT portfolio you need to help fuel your launch to hyperscale.  

Here’s a brief overview of some of the BICS SIM for Things solutions that can connect your IoT devices with the hyperscale cloud. And BICS partners with all hyperscalers – including Microsoft Azure, AliBaba, AWS and more – so integrating our products is easy, regardless of the data center platform.  

• IoT Cloud Connect – Offers full interaction between the device and external platforms with end-to-end secure connectivity, global reach via BICS’ IPX, guaranteed low latency and 99.99% availability SLAs
• API integration – Manages interactions between the IoT platform and the CMP, including network events, usage, SIM (lifecycle) events and MVNO account events
• IoT SaFe – Provides safe and standardized SIMs for device security management, end-to-end security, scaling with zero-touch provisioning and easy credential lifecycle management
• IoT Connectivity Twin – Features a customizable, Azure-integrated, vertical-agnostic presentation of the CMP in your own system, replicating SIM performance to provide insights and connectivity information for faster troubleshooting and end-to-end management
• Mobile Private Network – Serves as a bridge between private cloud networks

Although hyperscalers have risen to the standard of NIST’s five essential elements of a cloud network, connectivity is still missing from their offerings. CMPs provide the connectivity required to bridge the gap between your IoT devices and the cloud.  

BICS is at the top of the CMP field, bringing you the solutions you need to connect your IoT devices to the hyperscale data centers that continue to shape the global IoT industry – and the future.  

Watch our recent webinar with IoT Now. 

Find out more about our IoT solutions.  

* NIST uses three NIST Special Publication subseries to publish computer/ cyber/ information security and guidelines, recommendations and reference materials: 

• SP 800, Computer Security (December 1990-present):
  NIST’s primary mode of publishing computer/cyber/information security guidelines, recommendations and reference materials (SP 800s are also searchable in the NIST Library Catalog) 

** Transforma Insights IoT Survey for Oracle, 2021