Industrial IoT edge cloud platforms enable companies to leverage the latest technology and collect, analyze and automate devices while leveraging tools such as machine learning, AI and digital twins to optimize business operations.
IBM Watson IoT platform and Microsoft Azure IoT are two solutions for organizations looking for innovative and smart IIoT integrated technology. In this guide, explore the platforms, understand the features they offer, and learn how they compare.
SEE: Hiring Kit: IoT developer (Tech Republic Premium)
Jump to:
What is IBM Watson IoT?
The IBM WatsonIoT platform is a holistic, fully managed, cloud-based solution. With central dashboards and simple user interfaces, users can easily add, scale and manage devices.
Using the platform, users can control IIoT devices and environments, monitor usage, security, and more. Key software features include blockchain, APIs to build IIoT mobile apps, and AI-driven analytics and visualization dashboards.
What is Microsoft Azure IoT?
Microsoft Azure IoT is an open edge-to-cloud solution. Companies can control all their devices and the data they generate from a single control dashboard. Microsoft provides built-in security for every step of the IIoT lifecycle. Organizations can connect, manage, update and monitor edge devices using the platform while keeping their software, hardware and cloud environment secure.
Azure IoT differentiates itself by providing its customers with access to an ecosystem of thousands of partners who have already implemented hundreds of technology solutions for specific business needs. This feature allows users to streamline IIoT app development for their specific business cases. Automation, transformation and optimization are some of the greatest assets of the Azure IoT cloud.
Watson vs Azure: Feature Comparison
| Position | IBM Watson | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol for device connectivity and communication. | MQTT, HTTPS | MQTT, web sockets, HTTPS, AMQP |
| Supports all types of data formats, structured and unstructured. | Yes | Yes |
| IoT Hub and AI analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Integration for building apps | Yes | Yes |
| Data preparation and processing | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Yes, including 24/7 live support | Yes, but no live 24/7 support |
| Digital twin | Yes, through IBM Digital Twin | Yes, through Azure Digital Twins |
Head to Head Comparison: Watson vs. Azure
IoT Hub and central dashboards
Both IBM Watson IoT and Microsoft Azure IoT provide hubs and central dashboards. In the Azure IoT Hub, organizations can virtually connect any edge device to the cloud. The hub has built-in device management and security and provisioning scalability, and the Microsoft device update for IoT Hub enables over-the-air deployment of updates to keep IoT devices up to date and secure.
IBM device management services, on the other hand, are designed for operations such as rebooting or updating firmware. Both platforms provide two-way edge cloud communication and you can run diagnostics and add or remove IoT devices in bulk.
Azure IoT device management requires less technical skills and can be used without code. While IBM also offers user-friendly interfaces, staff may need to be familiar with the environment.
Build IoT app
Building apps to manage and optimize IIoT environments is critical for any industry. To meet these demands, IBM and Microsoft take different approaches, but still share a common ground.
Microsoft chooses to differentiate itself from IBM with its resources, tools and partners for APIs. The company draws on the experience of its partners and makes already tested IoT apps available. Azure IoT also helps users streamline IoT app development with automation. Through Azure IoT Central, users can build applications with a fully managed suite of IoT solutions. Apps can be customized and dashboards can be restructured.
On the other hand, Watson offers various APIs through IBM Developer. Both companies work with Representational State Transfer APIs, but the APIs available from IBM range from organization management, information, status and risk management to other basic functions.
Safety
Securing IoT edge cloud architectures is complex. Edge gateways, networks, and physical devices must withstand industrial environmental conditions, be protected against on-site tampering, and be maintained and monitored at both the hardware and software levels.
Known for its cybersecurity efforts, Microsoft provides end-to-end solutions to mitigate and minimize threats that can arise from people, processes, data or devices. With Azure IoT, users get integrated IoT security intelligence and event management, security orchestration, automation and response, and comprehensive detection and response solutions across deployment, devices, edge and cloud services.
On the other hand, IBM focuses on monitoring the IoT ecosystem to recognize usage and performance patterns to detect anomalies while validating IoT data and transactions. Through X-Force Red, the company offers unique penetration testing performed by expert Red Hat hackers. IBM explains that monitoring entire IIoT environments is a waste of time and resources. Penetration testing allows them to evaluate the risks and vulnerabilities of the IIoT environment, networks, hardware, software, and personnel to remediate before cybercriminals can exploit them.
Data processing, analytics, AI and digital twins
When it comes to data handling and formats, both IBM and Microsoft support all types of data, including structured and unstructured data. In addition, they offer AI-driven analytics, automated data cleaning and preparation, and digital twins.
Choosing between IBM Watson versus Microsoft Azure
Both IBM Watson and Microsoft Azure are robust, state-of-the-art IoT platforms. The two leading vendors offer very similar features, capabilities, and resources. Managers and decision makers should turn to their IoT, data and IT teams before going one way or the other. The main difference between the two platforms is the technological environment.
Microsoft has several tools that can help streamline app development. Companies looking to build apps or take advantage of a large ecosystem of partners who provide tested solutions can take advantage of the platform. Users may feel overwhelmed with the many IoT products Azure offers, while IBM Watson IoT is a more integrated solution but requires advanced technical knowledge.
When it comes to security, Microsoft has established its reputation as a world leader in this sector. However, IBM offers penetration testing, a powerful tool to strengthen security, especially in an IoT edge cloud environment.
The platform you choose depends on the number of apps you want to build, the specific security priorities your company has, and how familiar the team that will manage the platform is with one solution or the other.
TechRepublic also recently did a comparison. See how the AWS and Azure IIoT solutions compare here.
Source link
