Top 10 Trends in Database Management #9: Internet of Things (IoT)

The number of tablets, smartphones and computers transmitting and receiving data was already overwhelming for many companies. The Internet of Things expanded the hardware capable of connecting to the internet so they include almost anything.

Think about the smart devices in your personal and professional life and how rapidly that number increased over the past year. You might have a voice-activated assistant like Google Home, smart light bulbs, a connected refrigerator showing you how much food you really have inside it, video doorbells that you can view from anywhere in the world and smart televisions.

The workplace applications are also extensive. Cash registers, surveillance cameras, HVAC systems, inventory management and advertising beacons are a few ways that IoT shows up in the business environment. It’s likely that anything worth more than $100 will end up having an IP address as this technology matures. One of the things you must keep in mind with IoT advancements is that all of these devices are generating data.

Big data might have been big before, but now it’s staggering. Your organization needs to prepare for handling this much data, from the systems required to support it to the database architecture necessary for storing it all. The potential for this technology can’t be overstated. IoT is a transformative technology that will make major changes in society and economic development.

In the medical field, wearable smart devices can move the medical diagnostic process out of facilities. Instead, healthcare providers can monitor patient conditions at their homes. The devices can send alerts if it detects problems, allowing the patients and providers to react quickly to any changes.

Supply chain logistics is another area that receives major benefits from IoT. You can automate a lot of the process, up to and including directing autonomous vehicles. Another useful functionality of IoT is that you can minimize the chances that you lose items. Since they’re connected to the internet or a network, you have the opportunity to track them down.

Are you and your infrastructure ready for an exponentially larger torrent of data?