November 25, 2015 Industry Forum Blog If you’re like me, a non-digital native, then you may well have been trying to make sense of the terminology being used today which is shaping tomorrow’s world. A non-digital native is anyone born or brought up before the widespread use of digital technology. That’s most of us over 30 – sorry! In this blog I offer a simple explanation of the cloud, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data, all without using the word paradigm! This is the first in a series of blogs that look at how these new technologies will influence our daily lives, the way we manufacture and the impact they will have on lean, NPI and TPM programmes. Before we start, bear in mind this is a fast changing field and today’s descriptions are quickly changed. The use of these terms as marketing buzzwords also confuses the picture! The Cloud Cloud computing is where you access the computer services you want to use, by using an internet connection. This is instead of you owning them and having them located on your own equipment and premises. The provider charges you for what you use, rather than you buying, running and maintaining these systems for yourself. You need a portal (like a PC, laptop, tablet or smart phone) and an internet connection to access them. The main service categories are: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – the servers and data storage devices. Platform as a Service (PaaS) – the operating systems. Software as a Service (SaaS) – applications and programmes. Cloud providers offer these services in all sorts of combinations. Read this great article about the biggest providers. I wondered how cloud computing was different to the internet as they both use the same technologies. The difference is where it is housed, who owns it and how we pay for it. It may surprise you to know you are probably already using cloud services (even if you are not paying for them at point of use). Facebook and Twitter use cloud technologies as do WebEx and GoToMeeting. Internet of Things This is the network created when physical objects connect with other equipment by using the internet. Machines talk to machines (M2M) and computing systems make use of the data sent between them. The physical objects, embedded with electronics, sensors or software, are known as smart devices. Already terms like smart phones, smart wear, smart products, smart factories and smart cities are appearing. Nest is a good example of IoT in action. It allows us to remotely switch on our heating, using our smart phone to connect with our thermostat. Big Data This is where large Volumes of data from a Variety of sources stream in for collection at high Velocity. (The 3 V’s are important). Because so many different sources are analysed, the outputs are used at a more strategic decision making level than the information generated by the IoT. This article explains what big data can and can’t do. Do they work together? Yes! The three are closely interlinked, for example. Big data analytics uses cloud computing for the volume and speed needed to produce meaningful linkages at an affordable cost. One of the sources of data it analyses is from the IoT. The IoT also uses cloud technologies and can incorporate big data analytics to enhance the level of information generated and used. The Nest uses big data analytics to teach the system to “set” itself. Still with me? Great! Our next blog will look at how these three enabling technologies are shaping future manufacturing.
