It’s possible that you’ve seen the term Internet of Things thrown around on our site before.
And if you’ve found yourself Googling “What is the Internet of Things?,” look no further. Here’s a quick explanation.
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is the web of internet-connected objects, including physical devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items embedded with electronics.
All of this internet-connected stuff collects and exchanges data using embedded sensors.
The world wide web isn’t just for your laptop anymore. It’s for your phone, thermostat, car, and a growing list of other items that now request permission to hop on your wifi.
In a nutshell, refrigerators and trash cans that now come equipped with an internet connection (don’t laugh; it’s a real example) contribute to a larger network of physical objects that collect and exchange information. The world wide web isn’t just for your laptop anymore. It’s for your phone, thermostat, car, and a growing list of other items that now request permission to hop on your wifi.
You’ve probably heard of IoT for one of several reasons.
First, the growing number of IoT devices has led many to believe that there will be an insurmountable surge of capacity demand in the coming years. So much so, that we should be building lots more submarine cables.
While it’s true that the number of IoT devices is growing rapidly, our own Alan Mauldin has already debunked the notion that the result will be a capacity demand like no other. (Listen to Alan’s full discussion on why we actually need more submarine cables here.)
Second, there’s a real conversation around IoT and cybersecurity happening right now.
Internet-connected devices played a large role in the Dyn DDoS attack that took place last fall. Security flaws within the internet of things have been long-discussed, but always hypothetical. After the Dyn attack last year, it’s likely you’ll see even more TechCrunch and Gizmodo pieces hypothesizing the future of IoT and IoT security.
