IoT Mediation and Orchestration

In the past, Mind Commerce has evaluated the role and importance of identity, personal data and preference management in personal applications and services.?There are many applications that are supported through identity, personal information, and preference management.?

One such application is the so-called dynamic address book. Typically, the address book contains the phone numbers of your contacts, but text messaging is accessed through a different menu function and sending an email requires an email client application accessed through yet another menu. This follows from the separation of voice and data sessions as well as the need for a more complex handset client to organize email.

We see an evolving need for Identity Management and Preference Management in IoT.?Initially, this will be similar to what we have covered in personal applications/services as human intervention will be required.?Longer term, as sensors are deployed extensively and IoT enabled machines become more self-aware and sustaining, there will be minimal need for direct human intervention.?It is a somewhat scary thought, but the machines will not need the humans much to do what they do!!

Closely related to IoT Data Management is IoT Mediation

Mind Commerce has long espoused the importance of mediation in telecom software, infrastructure, and software services.?The Mediation function in telecom terms pertains to a function that routes or acts on information passing between network elements and network operations.?

• To mediate is to intervene between two or more entities for purposes of resolving something.?Resolution could be party “A” wants something from party “B”.?A Mediation Agent acts on behalf of part “B” to decide if and under what circumstances party “A” will get what it wants.?
• To orchestrate is to arrange or direct the elements to produce a desired effect.?An Orchestration Agent determines what resources a given party shall gain access, when, how, and in what order in the case of two or more resources.

A similar term, often used synonymously with mediation, but somewhat different is orchestration.?In general telecom/computing terms, orchestration describes the automated arrangement, coordination, and management of complex computer systems, middleware, and services.?Orchestration is an essential aspect of service oriented architecture, virtualization, provisioning, converged Infrastructure, and various datacenter issues.?

There is a lack of commonly accepted protocols and procedures to facilitate device connection to the Internet for IoT.?There is also an important industry need for open networks, interfaces, and auto-discovery and connectivity.?

These capabilities will be critical for the long-term success and ultimate realization of IoT.?Some companies are making strides in this direction.

As we have mentioned in other Mind Commerce reports, IoT is driven by a few key developments including:

• Migration from IPv4 to IPv6
• Significantly lower sensor and wireless modem costs
• Availability of intelligent software to manage IoT networks
• Deployment of IoT management/mediation/orchestration platforms
• Creation of standards that accelerate adoption and internetwork communications

The long-term success of IoT will depend substantially upon the development, deployment, and operation of IoT management, mediation, and orchestration platforms as well as a robust IoT Managed Services Market.