Bosch aims to use IoT cloud to improve privacy and data security
Bosch has launched its own cloud for Internet of Things applications. The IoT cloud looks to compete with other cloud rivals, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), which launched its own IoT service last year.
The cloud-based Bosch IoT Suite identifies any objects that are web-enabled, orchestrates the exchange of data, and enables a multitude of services and business models. Big data management allows enormous amounts of data to be analysed.
The German firm is aiming to use the cloud to connect up anything from cars to washing machines. Bosch plans to run around 50 of its own applications on this could by the end of the year. From 2017, it will also be made available as a service to other companies. The Bosch IoT Cloud currently connects more than five million devices and machines. The firm plans to open up data centres in other parts of the world but has yet to detail a timeframe for such plans.
“As of today, we offer all the ace cards for the connected world from a single source. The Bosch IoT Cloud is the final piece of the puzzle that completes our software expertise. We are now a full service provider for connectivity and the internet of things,” said Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner at the Bosch ConnectedWorld conference in Berlin.
Rules for automatic decisions can be stored in the Bosch IoT Suite – such as when patterns of wear and tear should be reported and preventive action taken to service machinery.
“The Bosch IoT Suite is the brain of the connected world. It offers all the functions necessary to connect devices, users, and companies,” said Denner.
The firm pointed to some examples of the Bosch IoT cloud in use. Sensor data from asparagus fields makes its way into the Bosch IoT Cloud, too. Farmers can improve their harvest and their yield if they know the exact temperature of the ground.
Also read: Amazon AWS now available for Internet of Things
IoT in action in Germany
The Bosch IoT Cloud also generates an online map of available park-and-ride spaces throughout Stuttgart s commuter train network. Sensors detect which parking spaces are unoccupied and send this information to the cloud, where it is added to a real-time map that users can call up on their smartphone.
The cloud will be based in Germany which it hopes will bring in business from organisations worried about US data security. Denner said, “Consumers want to know whether their data are protected and secure. For this reason, the security we offer our customers is always state of the art.”
Experts broadly welcomed the idea of a cloud-based IoT platform built with security in mind. “A single platform that unifies the entire ecosystem will provide a simple, repeatable way to protect a growing number of devices,” Neil Chapman, SVP & MD EMEA at ForgeRock told Internet of Business.
“Building a platform that supports and unifies the entire ecosystem is challenging enough, but you also need to keep the future in mind. Businesses need to support new services, new devices, and new infrastructure on the back end,” he said.
He asked how enterprises would protect data they can’t see as it’s communicated between IoT devices and other parts of the ecosystem? “Ensuring data is encrypted and authenticated is important. However, it’s also important to understand the relationship between different parts of the ecosystem. Knowing who accesses data and how, where, and when they access it are just a few of the factors that can help ensure proper security,” he said.