When engineers design full-stack IoT solutions, IoT gateways receive a large amount of focused attention. This is because IoT gateways are a crucial component of an IoT solution.??
IoT gateways not only collect and transmit data from the sensor network to the cloud, they also perform filtering or simple processing of data to make it compatible with the network.?
Various features of an IoT gateway that make this possible are listed below:?
- Data logger – IoT gateway devices can log the data collected from various connected devices, i.e., the data is collected and stored in multiple systems/environments over an extended timeframe. This becomes a very important aspect to consider when designing gateways for a use case in which there are chances of internet connectivity issues.?
- Over the air updates – Firmware over the air (FOTA) updates are an inherent part of an IoT solution, specifically for field-deployed devices. It may not be possible for a technician to physically install updates on each device in the network, as it costs time and money. FOTA updates come to the rescue here! Such updates are easy to install on IoT gateways. Moreover, there are several authentication mechanisms in FOTA update that makes it a safe proposition.?
- Flexible connectivity of devices – IoT gateways enable heterogenous devices to become part of a single IoT network. This is possible as the gateways come with a variety of interfaces such as GPRS, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, WiFi, etc.?
- Flexibility in data transfer to cloud– The IoT gateway transmits the data from the sensors to the cloud in a secure manner. Gateways can align with flexible data formats and protocols like MQTT to forward the data to the cloud server.?
- Robust device design – Based on the use case, the IoT gateways may be deployed in harsh environmental conditions. They may have to withstand high temperatures, winds or heavy rain for a long period of time. Hence, during the design phase, it is important to pay attention to these operating conditions and design the body of the IoT gateway device accordingly.?
- Data security/licensing – In some use cases, it may be necessary for IoT gateways to be certified for security or licensing purposes. This is another aspect to consider when designing such solutions.?
IoT enables automation and improves operational efficiency across varying domains such as defense, healthcare, banking/finance, Industry 4.0, home automation, etc. And in the design of an IoT solution, the significance of an IoT gateway is notable.?
Our blog on IoT gateway offers further insights on this topic.?
