IoT has affected all the prospects of life and things which surround us. Though we use and see its advancements in our day to day life, still it’s not fully developed and one major factor which has restricted its maturity is standardization. The success of any technology starts with its full deployment not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of its involvement to masses. The need of common frame work for building the ecosystem for companies in order to fulfill interoperability need is in high demand.
IoT Standardization is a global concept follows the idea that any “Identity” or “Object” can be connected at any time from any place to any network by ensuring security, privacy and safety. The concept of IoT has gone beyond mobiles and smart gadgets, its popularity lies in its features to provide efficiency, productivity and quick results but what if devices do not connect with each other across the globe (Interoperability) and what if they get affected by the intruder (cybercrime). The answers to such prominent threats lies in regulating IoT Standards. The Devices or Things are connected in IoT and interface between identities must be defined at technical and application level. As many companies are involved in the business they all have their own strategies from nest to target with wide range of platform creating a messy and complex web.
Stop from turning Boon to Curse: CYBER ATTACK
Nothing is completely immune and that too form unknown threats. Changing accessibility of devices and encrypting information without any common format has made IoT more prone to cyber-attack. As advances in software combined with hardware it needs safety protocols for ensuring safety of networks and people. IoT has been fragmented and slower due to lack of common framework. As connected devices are used universally and high profile security breach not only affect citizens but also the nations. When hacker has control over one node in IoT network it will eventually affect rest of the network of connected devices and to detect and repair such a number of nodes becomes difficult. Hackers have left no stone unturned to make web their territory and standardization is the only way to save our data and us from it.
Losing Data Connectivity: INTEROPERABILITY
United we stand, same happens with connected identities, is it possible to connect whole world without understanding language of diverse devices, an answer is a big NO. Interoperability has many layers. Its Physical layer connectivity issues are resolved such as wireless standards, making sure that devices communicate with each other with-in a system. The problem arises in Data layer where devices fail to meet the compatibility issue manufactured by different brands as well as their own brand. Human-Machine Interface and Service
Interoperability are another key issues. The term Identity Interoperability is a critical issue under which one IoT provider being able to accept, rely on and trust identity created and managed by other IoT provider. This will resolve the issue of Interoperability which is going to be defined in IoT Standard. In order to provide Pulg and Play facility to its user, Open source technology and API (Application Program Interface) should be created which will be used to integrate a single manufacture device with billions of devices on the planet.
Standardization will empower Values
Within coming years IoT will impact our society not only with its technological advents but also with it’s after effects in terms of actions, costs and results. Research shows IoT is bringing a lot of values to developing nations which may place their developing counterparts with lack of advances tech services at a distance. Standardization will allow to ensure IoT services to the nations for whom IoT is a need rather than a luxury. It will help us to define values and visions for technology. The term Ethics of technology which is not considered important now will become a source of social destructions as physical world boundary is blending with digital world boundary.
Are all Giants ready to share? (Challenges with Standardization)
Though common framework or standardization will open wide prospect for IoT future but not all organizations are supporting strong need of standardization. Many companies will avoid the partnership thus becoming a big obstacle on the way to prevent standardization. Extensive literature and internet searches show many organizations that are working in standardization task for IoT but questions arises on the acceptability of standard formed by few IoT gaints. These forming bodies are both official and un-official. The IoT solutions rely on protocols, interfaces and platforms. Many evolving applications are exploiting their own standard and many standards are still under development. If this fragmentation of standards should not be governed by one body than some standards will be official, where as some will be de facto, agreed by some forums or dictated by companies in decisive roles. Other main issue today is how to organize, divide and prioritize the standardization activities.
Pillars which have to be strength for IoT standardization
- Detailed analysis of IoT Landscape
- Defining High-Level of Architecture
- Should work on Semantic Interoperability
- Privacy between interconnected “things” and systems.
- Security between interconnected “things” and systems
The need for IoT standard is path which whole industry have to follow in order to grow globally. IoT standardization is very challenging both from technical point of view and managerial point of view because as IoT deployment growing with pace no one knows when major evolution will change into revolutions.
