Business Processes in IoT

Business processes in IoT

• A business process is a collection of related
events, activities, and decisions taken by a team
or company to achieve some sort of business
goal: managing deliveries, assembling products,
onboarding employees,etc.
• Any form of business process needs to be future-
proof and adaptable when it comes to
technological advances.
• One of the most significant transformations in today’s markets is the rapid adoption of the Internet of
Things (IoT).
• IoT is reshaping daily life, and its influence will continue to expand, requiring businesses to adapt
accordingly.
• With tech giants like Google, Samsung, NXP, ARM, Intel, and Apple investing billions into IoT
innovations, the shift towards smart technologies is irreversible, leaving behind traditional non-smart
systems.
• IoT is driving one of the biggest shifts in consumer and business markets.
• It is transforming daily life and will continue to expand rapidly.
• Businesses must adapt to remain competitive in the IoT era.
• Major tech companies (Google, Samsung, ARM, Intel, Apple, etc.) are investing billions, making the
move to smart technologies irreversible.
Rise of Smartphones & IoT Implications
• Today, only a few people in India still use old Nokia feature phones.
• The shift towards smartphones began around 2012.
• The transition accelerated with Jio’s entry and free 4G internet plans.
• Nokia’s failure to embrace smartphone technology led to massive customer and business losses.
• Lesson: Companies and governments cannot afford to ignore IoT.
• Worldwide, businesses are adopting new technologies to boost efficiency, improve employee morale,
and increase profits — with IoT at the center of this transformation.
 Business processes of IoT
• Data Utilization: As consumers increasingly use
connected devices that generate data, businesses
gain valuable opportunities to leverage this
information.
• This data can be applied in areas such as targeted
marketing, product development, and behavioral
analysis.
• Example: analyzing data to identify false alarms or
studying consumer purchasing patterns.
New Purchasing Models with IoT
• IoT enables consumers to make purchases directly through their devices, simplifying and
speeding up the buying process.
• Businesses must adapt by ensuring faster, safer deliveries and improved customer service.
• Example: using IoT to enable automatic inventory tracking for efficient order fulfillment.
Innovation
• IoT creates opportunities for businesses to develop new products or enhance existing ones, delivering greater
value to customers.
• Example: refining an application’s design and features based on feedback from users and engineers.
Customer Service
• Customer service is a critical business process in the IoT era.
• Products connected to the internet should ideally be diagnosed and fixed remotely when issues arise.
• Consumers increasingly expect such support, and businesses must be prepared to provide it.
• Example: an online-purchased product without a local service center should still be repairable through IoT-
enabled remote assistance.
• The Internet of Things is already influencing, and will continue to impact, nearly every company in the
coming years.
• From refrigerators and homes to parking spaces, IoT is steadily bringing everyday objects into the digital
ecosystem — positioning IoT to become a multi-trillion-dollar industry in the near future.
• Its wide range of applications can support businesses in managing, replacing, and identifying different
services and devices.
 Role of cloud in IoT
• Cloud computing plays a crucial role in the Internet of Things (IoT).
• It has gained popularity as an affordable, efficient, and reliable platform for data storage and
processing.
• Cloud enables computing as a metered service, ensuring scalability and flexibility.
• It offers businesses cost efficiency while delivering strong technical capabilities to IoT applications.
• By integrating with IoT, cloud computing ensures real-time data access, analysis, and decision-making
• Cloud technology enables the delivery of applications and services over the internet.
• Cloud resources can be accessed through standard mechanisms, ensuring platform-independent
availability across devices such as workstations, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
• It supports multi-user access, where virtual resources operate on top of shared physical infrastructure.
• This virtualization allows efficient resource utilization, scalability, and seamless service delivery.
Cloud Computing Service Model: IaaS
(Infrastructure-as-a-Service)
• Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet instead of relying on physical hardware.
• Users can choose and configure virtual machines (VMs) as per their requirements.
• Offers flexibility to manage the operating system, applications, and middleware.
• Payment follows a pay-as-you-use model, ensuring cost efficiency.
• Examples: Google Compute Engine, AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Microsoft Azure Virtual
Machines
Cloud Computing Service Model: PaaS
(Platform-as-a-Service)
• Provides a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud.
• Includes hardware, operating systems, and software tools (e.g., compilers, databases, middleware)
required for application development.
• The cloud provider hosts and manages the infrastructure, while users focus only on building, running,
and maintaining applications.
• Eliminates the need to manage servers, storage, or networking, speeding up the development lifecycle.
• Examples: AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine, Apache Stratos, Microsoft Azure App Service.
Cloud Computing Service Model: SaaS
(Software-as-a-Service
• Delivers a fully functional software application to end-users over the internet.
• Also known as “Application-as-a-Service”, where the software is hosted and maintained by the
provider.
• Users simply access the application via a web browser or app, without worrying about installation,
maintenance, or infrastructure.
• Typically offered on a subscription basis (monthly, yearly, or pay-per-use).Examples: Microsoft 365,
Google Workspace (formerly Google Apps), Salesforce, Dropbox, Zoom.
Cloud Computing services
Cloud Computing Models: IaaS vs PaaS vs
SaaS
Feature / Aspect IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)

Development & deployment

Virtualized computing resources Complete software application
What is Provided? platform (tools, OS, DB,
(VMs, storage, networking) over the internet
middleware)

Manage OS, middleware, runtime,

User Responsibility Develop, run, and maintain apps Use the software only
and apps

Physical infrastructure, Infrastructure + platform Infrastructure + platform +

Provider Responsibility
virtualization management application
Via virtual machines and Via development
Access Method Via web browser or app
dashboards environments/tools
Pay-per-use (based on
Billing Model Pay-per-use or subscription Subscription (monthly/yearly)
compute/storage)
Medium (focus on app logic, not Low (only app usage, no infra
Level of Control High (full control of VMs & OS)
infra) control)

AWS EC2, Google Compute AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Microsoft 365, Google Workspace,
Examples
Engine, Azure VMs Engine, Apache Stratos Salesforce, Zoom
Cloud service in IoT
Cloud Services in IoT: Example – “Pizza as a
Service”
Cloud Services in IoT: Example – “Vehicle as a
Service
• Similar to cloud models, vehicles can
be experienced in different ways
depending on the level of ownership
and responsibility.
• In IaaS, you own the car but handle
fuel, maintenance, insurance, and
driving yourself.
• In PaaS, you lease a car with services
included (e.g., insurance,
maintenance), but you still drive it.
• In SaaS, you simply use a taxi or ride-
sharing service (like Uber), where
everything is managed for you—you
just enjoy the ride
Advantages of Cloud in IoT
• Data Backup & Recovery – Ensures safe storage with quick restoration in case of data loss.
• Improved Collaboration – Data generated at one source can be seamlessly shared and analyzed by
other systems or teams.
• Global Accessibility – Access stored information anytime, anywhere across the world with just an
internet connection.
• Pay-as-You-Use Model – Cost-effective, as users only pay for the resources and services they actually
consume.
• Enhanced Data Security – Cloud providers implement strong encryption, authentication, and
monitoring mechanisms.
• Scalability & Flexibility – Resources can be easily scaled up or down based on demand, supporting
dynamic IoT applications.
Cloud in IoT – Advantages & Challenges
Advantages
• Provides scalable storage and computing power.
• Ensures real-time access to IoT data and applications.
• Offers cost efficiency through pay-as-you-use models.
• Enables remote monitoring and management of IoT devices.
• Facilitates faster innovation with flexible platforms and services.
Limitations / Challenges
• Internet Connectivity – Reliable connection is mandatory to access cloud services.
• Interoperability & Portability – Users should be able to migrate applications and data easily across
cloud providers.
• Downtime – No provider can guarantee 100% uptime; service interruptions remain a risk.
• Security – Vulnerable to hacking, malware, and cyberattacks that may impact multiple users.
• Expertise Requirement – Rapidly evolving platforms demand continuous skill upgrades from
professionals.
Everything as a service
• Definition: XaaS refers to the growing variety of services and applications that are delivered to users
over the internet on demand.
• Beyond SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS: Cloud services are no longer limited to just software and infrastructure.
• Almost any digital resource can now be offered “as a Service.”
• Expansion: The “as-a-Service” model now extends to multiple domains such as data, security,
communication, healthcare, automobiles, and gaming.
Examples of XaaS
Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS):
• Managed Service Providers (MSPs) install and maintain hardware at the customer’s site.
• Customers use it based on Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Similar to IaaS, but with physical hardware substitution.

Communication-as-a-Service (CaaS):
• Cloud-hosted communication solutions such as Instant Messaging (IM), VoIP, and Video Conferencing.
• Cost-effective and reduces infrastructure and time expenses.

Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS):
• Providers manage storage, security, and backup of desktop applications and user data.
• Clients can work on PCs via third-party servers.

Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS):
• Cloud-based integration of security features like antivirus, authentication, and encryption into the company infrastructure.
• Ensures updated protection with minimal internal management.

Healthcare-as-a-Service (HaaS):
• Used in the healthcare industry for Electronic Medical Records (EMR), telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring.
• IoT enables services such as 24/7 health tracking, online consultations, and doorstep medical support (e.g., home sample
collection).

Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS):
• Apps enable modern mobility solutions (e.g., Uber).Eco-friendly and convenient, with future possibilities like flying taxis and self-
driving vehicles.
Everything as a Service