IoT Solutions

Helping you connect your business assets

IoT is taking the world by storm and will enable organisations to make better, more informed decisions. With the rapid introduction of new technologies, businesses are striving for ways to capture, connect and transform the data produced by their devices into powerful insights that can drive efficiency and smarter business decisions.

As your partner in IoT solutions, it’s our job to take your business on that journey. By connecting your business assets, merging and automating data streams, you can use real intelligence to achieve the business outcomes and operational objectives you desire.

What is IoT?

IoT stands for Internet of Things. It encompasses a multitude of machines and objects – “things” – that can connect and share data with other devices or systems via the internet.

Millions of devices are already connected using IoT. Smart metres, mobile phones, wearable devices and simple sensors in buildings can exchange information, analyse it and then create an outcome or action.

A single piece of technology can not be considered as IoT unless it connects with a network of other devices. IoT has become so powerful that devices can now communicate across different network types, meaning data is no longer siloed, and the world is connected like never before. Naturally, this means that an effective IoT solution has never been more needed.

Benefits of an IoT solution

Efficiency & Productivity

IoT empowers your people, processes and technology to work in a smarter, more efficient way.

Cost Savings

By actioning the intelligence IoT provides, your business can streamline operations and increase profitability.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Businesses can use the powerful insights of IoT to guide changes to products/services, thereby improving the customer experience.

New Business Opportunities

Uncover gaps and inefficiencies in current processes enabling you to develop new business opportunities.

How do our IoT solutions work?

By unifying your business assets and using the data to drive decisions, your business can become more productive, save money and enhance the customer experience. The manufacturing industry is a prime example whereby sensors on product lines have helped increase quality, efficiency and reduce waste.

The foundation of IoT solutions is about extracting data and context from devices and transforming it into actionable insight. At Conosco, we’ve broken this down into three steps:

Step 1: Collection – What devices/hardware/ sensors will you use to collect data? How will you extract it?
Step 2: Processing – How will you transform the information using the cloud?
Step 3: Intelligence – What outcomes do you need to see? How will you use the intelligence to create real business impact?

unified communication as a service UCaaS

Step 1: Collection – Breaking down the barriers

Before we start any IoT project, we need to understand what you’re trying to achieve so that we can build an IT strategy and implement the right technology to produce the desired outcome.

Firstly we’ll need to consider the “thing” that will enable you to collect data. Sensors can be used to extract information such as heat, light, HVAC, humidity and temperature, to name a few. Alternatively, we may need to track and monitor telemetry data from operational software, industrial machinery, supply chains, and GPS. You tell us what you need to collect and we’ll come up with the solution.

Step 2: Processing – Transformation in the Cloud

The quickest way to connect devices is using the cloud. Cloud providers such as Azure and AWS have datacentres worldwide as well as the infrastructure and applications to enable businesses to collate and process data from multiple systems.

As an Azure and AWS partner, we have the technical knowledge to architect your cloud environment. We’ll set up API connections from your sensors to the cloud and use specific business management and ERP applications to collect, store and manage data for future analysis.

Advanced IoT Solutions – Connecting AI to drive intelligence

IoT projects can be as simple as gathering sensory information from meters to using AI and robotics to perform surgery remotely.

The revolution of AI has opened up new opportunities for intelligent machines to simulate behaviours and make decisions with very little human interaction. Whilst IoT enables devices to interact using the internet, AI goes a step further, allowing devices to learn from the data gathered in order to produce an intelligent action or outcome.

Powering faster data processing with 5G network

The broad coverage of 4G and the rapid expansion of the UK’s 5G network has enabled businesses to take advantage of high-speed connectivity, low latency and broader coverage. This is fueling greater innovation and enabling IoT to become an integral part of your business.

With connectivity at the heart of digital transformation, 5G is key to enabling businesses to connect and remotely manage devices, cars, meters, machine sensors and consumer electronics. The ability to collect, interpret and act on data in real-time means business can offer more proactive, remote customer support.

Conosco partners with a variety of networks such as Vodafone, EE and O2. We are uniquely positioned to help with all your 5G network needs, our experts will keep your business online, your people talking and your data connected.

Is security a big concern with IoT?

Yes, there are security risks with IoT. Sensitive information, cloud technologies, and huge numbers of devices are connected via the internet, providing a large attack surface. Many IoT devices are not securely configured by default when shipped from manufacturers, and due to their often embedded nature, they are not regularly patched and secured once in production. Any network vulnerabilities can be easily exploited by hackers. Businesses must ensure that they put robust security and compliance governance in place across all IoT touchpoints. As an ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certified company, Conosco is best placed to support your cybersecurity initiatives and ensure there are no gaps or weaknesses in your IoT security solution.

What is a ‘thing’?

A ‘thing’ can be almost anything that data is retrievable from. It is usually an object in the real world that monitors and measures something in the physical environment. These are some common examples:

Sensors that monitor temperature, light, air quality
A home security camera that alerts a smartphone if it detects changes
An elevator monitoring system that tracks functionality and enables engineers to schedule maintenance prior to failure.

Why is IoT important for my business?

Innovation is the key to competitive success. IoT solutions are all about making informed business decisions based on accurate insight. Therefore IoT will become the driving force behind intelligent workplace transformation. If used correctly, an IoT solution should give you the ability to save money and time, as well as improve operational efficiency.

How do I avoid wasting time and money on IoT?

So many businesses waste time and money on low-value IoT solutions. Make sure that you identify a specific problem that requires actionable business outcome, based on data. Create a strong user case and ensure that the IoT solution you implement is reliable and will be used for years into the future. Remember, just because the technology is ‘the latest trend’ doesn’t mean it’s right for every situation.