2016 Internet Of Things 50: 20 Coolest IoT Software And Services Vendors
Software And Service
The Internet of Things needs a lot more than gateways and sensors to succeed -- it needs data collection and management software tools, secure networks and analytics capabilities so that end users can track their devices and take action based on real-time data.
Luckily, there are a vast amount of vendors that want to work with their channel partners to offer their fair share of these capabilities -- including network development and management, app development, and data management and analysis -- in the Internet of Things market.
Following are 20 IoT vendors with the coolest offerings and services, ranging from Amazon Web Services to Microsoft to many others.
Aeris Communications
Top Executive: Marc Jones, Chairman, CEO
Aeris Communications specializes in machine-to-machine communications with its cellular network. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company's AerPort connectivity platform allows customers to collect and manage data, receive alerts based on data traffic patterns, and view reports of devices. Its pur­pose-built AerCore M2M core network plays a central role in managing traffic and providing operational visibility and support. Finally, Aeris' analytics platform, AerVoyance, helps end users manage IoT deployments through using a visual presentation.
Aeris also touts a Neo Affiliate Program that brings Internet of Things network connectivity services to the channel via a recurring revenue model.
Amazon Web Services
Top Executive: Andy Jassy, CEO
Seattle-based Amazon Web Services has doubled down on the Internet of Things through its flagship managed cloud plat­form, enabling connected devices to interact with cloud ap­plications and other devices.
In addition to supporting billions of devices, AWS said that its platform makes it easy for customers to use the compa­ny's existing services -- including AWS Lambda, Amazon Ki­nesis, Amazon S3 and Amazon Machine Learning -- to build IoT applications that gather, process, analyze and act on data generated by connected devices without having to manage any infrastructure.
On the channel front, AWS has kept its partners in the loop by launching a new IoT competency for the channel at its Global Partner Summit last year.
AT&T
Top Executive: Randall Stephenson, Chairman, CEO
AT&T recently launched an Internet of Things platform, dubbed AT&T Control Center, which helps solution providers deploy, manage and scale IoT apps and devices connected to the company's 4G LTE network.
AT&T is aiming to keep its partners on the cutting edge as well, saying in March that Partner Exchange solution provid­ers now have access to its IoT platform, which is powered by software from Cisco-owned Jasper Technologies.
The Dallas-based carrier also touts a cloud-based develop­ment tool called Flow Designer that lets developers quickly build IoT applications
In July, AT&T amped up its IoT efforts by unveiling a partnership with IBM to pair its own platforms and global network with IBM's developer tools and cloud and analytics services.
Ayla Networks
Top Executive: David Friedman, Co-Founder, CEO
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Ayla Networks offers an enterprise software platform that enables manufacturers and service providers to bring connected products to market more quickly and seamlessly.
The company's IoT Cloud Platform delivered as a service is an enterprise-scale architecture composed of cloud services, embedded agents and its application "libraries" that contain APIs for creating apps to securely control products with a phone, tablet or from a web interface.
Customers can configure pre-built Internet of Things offer­ings to make rapid changes to any type of device, cloud and app environment without the need for design modifications or custom development.
Bosch Software Innovations
Top Executive: Rainer Kallenbach, Chairman, Executive Board
Bosch Software Innovations' IoT Suite enables developers to quickly build, implement and operate cloud-based and highly scalable Internet of Things applications.
The Device Management component from Chicago-based Bosch's IoT Suite provides a reliable connection and control of devices, machines and gateways, while operating a secure, flexible and transparent infrastructure for distributed devices. It also enables data to be analyzed.
Bosch also offers Vorto, an open-source tool developed by Eclipse IoT, which enables the creation and management of information models for integration into different platforms.
Flexera Software
Top Executive: Jim Ryan, CEO
Flexera Software has an array of Internet of Things offerings that it says will help businesses "increase revenues, differentiate from the competition and deliver market-leading value to customers" through applications.
Itasca, Ill.-based Flexera Software aims to help businesses monetize the software powering internet-connected devices through its FlexNet Licensing model, which enables application producers to harness new pricing, packaging and soft­ware licensing models; as well as FlexNet Operations, a soft­ware management system that allows application producers to provide customer insight and management of license life cycles of software.
Finally, FlexNet Connect enables users to automate their business processes by lowering their operational costs and increasing customer satisfaction, according to the company.
Top Executive: Sundar Pichai, CEO
While known for its connected product line for home automation, Nest, Google also offers an eclectic range of services and a cloud platform for managing and storing the data behind Internet of Things applications.
Google's Brillo, launched last year, manages and stores data collected in device sensors aimed at consumers' homes. This operating system will run on connected devices that have low memory and small processors while using minimum system requirements.
Meanwhile, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company's Google Cloud Platform is building a best-in-class suite of big data tools aimed at the IoT market such as BigQuery, which al­lows customers to collect and analyze large volumes of sensor metrics over time.
Hitachi Data Systems
Top Executive: Ryuichi Otsuki, CEO
Since its purchase of Internet of Things developer Pentaho last year, Hitachi Data Systems has been diving deeper into the data analytics and management services behind IoT.
The company in May said it is forming a new, stand-alone unit to explore and execute opportunities surrounding IoT -- the Hitachi Insight Group.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Hitachi Data Systems tackles vari­ous markets for IoT, including smart cities, smart energy and video management with various IoT analytics capabilities. Hitachi also touts its expertise in creating and developing op­erational technology as critical in providing IoT offerings for cities and various industries.
IBM
Top Executive: Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, CEO
IBM is tackling the Internet of Things head on. Since rolling out its IoT unit last September, the company said it is promising to spend $3 billion over four years to develop a portfolio of cloud services and software aimed at delivering weather-related IoT services to the enterprise.
Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM's Watson platform enables an ar­ray of capabilities for end users, including building secure scalable IoT apps and services, monitoring assets and manag­ing facilities. More recently, IBM linked with AT&T to help partners create full IoT solutions by pairing IBM's developer tools, cloud and analytics services with AT&T's IoT platforms and global networks.
Microsoft
Top Executive: Satya Nadella, CEO
Since its launch in 2015, Microsoft has touted its Azure Suite as its Internet of Things flagship product, enabling custom­ers to remotely monitor and analyze data. With Azure, cus­tomers can generate, integrate and orchestrate data, and then manage and analyze that data through Azure Stream. Azure is customizable to fit various vertical offerings, and provides finished applications to speed deployment for IoT applications.
The Redmond, Wash.-based company has expanded its Quick Start program, which is a half-day consultation pro­gram offered through the company's partners and Microsoft Consulting Services for customers to learn more about Micro­soft IoT capabilities and help them identify specific business priorities.
MyDevices
Top Executive: Kevin Bromber, CEO
Calabasas, Calif.-based MyDevices develops middleware for connecting products and managing data.
The company's Internet of Things Platform-as-a-Service's capabilities revolve around security and management, equip­ping customers with authentication and access control, device management, analytics tools, and a highly scalable storage system for handling big data.
In addition to analytics tools, MyDevices offers visualization capabilities so that end users can see simplified business in­sight on devices and users. The company's platform is device-agnostic, and connects to anything -- from sensors, appliances and wearables to smartphones and PCs.
National Instruments
Top Executive: James Truchard, CEO
National Instruments, Austin, Texas, has a variety of end-to-end data analytics and management offerings targeting cus­tomers in the industrial Internet of Things market.
In addition to sensors and actuators, the company's IoT portfolio includes software tools for collecting and reporting big analog data.
National Instruments also specializes in data analytics -- its latest version of LabView offers a modular software platform design that targets new elements specifically related to data analytics.
Nokia
Top Executive: Rajeev Suri, CEO
Nokia recently launched its Impact Internet of Things plat­form, which it says enables service providers, enterprises and governments to securely manage and scale IoT ecosys­tems -- giving its partners capabilities such as data collection and analytics, device management, security and application enablement.
The Finland-based company's Connectivity Management platform manages high volumes of connections from sensors and devices, including those that use SIM connections. It also offers deployment options and modules for capabilities such as billing, mediation and CRM. Nokia's IoT capabilities span across several markets, including the automotive fleet indus­try, utilities and smart cities.
Most recently, Nokia in April said it would acquire Withings to bolster its IoT offerings in the digital health space. Nokia did not disclose the purchase price.
Oracle
Top Executives: Mark Hurd and Safra Catz , CO-CEOs
Oracle's Internet of Things Cloud service enables customers to hone in to IoT offerings through data and application management, big data analytics, and cloud security and scalability capabilities. This gives customers capabilities to connect through device virtualization, high-speed messaging, and endpoint management features, as well as analyze data through stream processing and data enrichment features.
Most recently, Redwood City, Calif.-based Oracle unveiled its Internet of Things Cloud offering for collecting and analyz­ing data in real time.
Line-of-business users, such as manufacturing plant managers, can monitor real-time quality control, get early insight into predictive maintenance needs, improve worker and equipment safety, and optimize yield through Oracle's IoT Cloud applications.
PTC
Top Executive: Jim Heppelmann, CEO
Needham, Mass.-based PTC's Internet of Things strategy revolves around its ThingWorx IoT Platform for application developers. ThingWorx supports rapid application devel­opment through the use of model-based development and mashup tools.
PTC also offers the Axeda Machine Cloud, which provides cloud-based services and software for managing connected products, as well as the Coldlight Neuron Predictive Analyt­ics Platform to automatically analyze data, detect patterns, and send information to any application or technology.
The company in June introduced the newest component of its IoT platform -- Vuforia Studio -- which is a set of augmented reality offerings designed for the enterprise, giving partners a visual aspect to IoT.
Salesforce.com
Top Executive: Marc Benioff, Chairman, CEO
Salesforce.com approaches the Internet of Things market -- or what it calls the "Internet of Customers" -- through soft­ware that the San Francisco-based company says will help businesses process massive quantities of data, build business rules with simple tools, and engage with customers in real time.
Salesforce IoT Cloud connects data from IoT to the rest of Salesforce for better insight and real-time customer actions.
Thunder, Salesforce's scalable event processing engine, powers IoT Cloud, which is meant to be used by business us­ers rather than developers or engineers.
SAP
Top Executive: Bill McDermott, CEO
SAP offers its HANA cloud platform for the Internet of Things -- an in-memory IoT platform that helps customers quickly develop, deploy and manage real-time IoT and applications. Customers also can use the underlying SAP HANA Cloud Platform to extend the applications and integrate non-SAP software.
In addition to HANA, Walldorf, Germany-based SAP offers a variety of services, such as the Predictive Maintenance and Service offering, Networked Logistics Hub, Connected Manu­facturing, and Augmented Reality Apps.
SmartVue
Top Executive: Martin Renkis, President, CEO
Nashville, Tenn.-based SmartVue's Internet of Things strategy revolves around cloud video surveillance offerings and IoT video infrastructure.
SmartVue software can integrate with wearable technology and other small hardware devices for quick turnkey offerings for mobile surveillance applications. For on-the-go surveillance, SmartVue provides a simple approach that can help turn incidents into data for hard evidence.
SmartVue specializes in other verticals beyond smart sur­veillance, including the health-care, education and government arenas.
Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Top Executive: Christopher Formant, Senior Vice President, Global President
A year after formally introducing its Internet of Things strategy to solution provider partners and customers, Verizon Enterprise Solutions has built out its IoT portfolio of machine-to-machine products and services aimed at powering smart cities, connected cars and wearables.
The company's ThingSpace platform, which is a web-based, self-service interface enabling developers to create IoT applications, includes a set of APIs that are the most demanded set of APIs in the carrier's history, according to Veri­zon Enterprise Solutions.
The Basking Ridge, N.J.-based company has readied its 4G LTE network to handle IoT endpoints by developing a core IoT network within its LTE architecture. The company is also leveraging its channel partner ecosystem in bringing its IoT offerings to the forefront.
Vertiv (formerly Emerson Network Power)
Top Executive: Jeff Sturgeon, President of Sales
Vertiv approaches the Internet of Things through a "mission-critical" strategy by supporting edge computing IoT that is essential for making quick decisions in high-pressure environments.
The Columbus, Ohio-based company recently released iCOM CMS, a new thermal system control that enables IT professionals to monitor and protect equipment in small IT spaces supporting edge computing. This system is powered by the company's IoT app in the thermal space, giving IT manag­ers visibility into thermal conditions and cooling equipment performance through mobile devices, the web and building management systems.