Cisco and IBM are partnering to provide instant Internet of Things (IoT) insights at the edge of the network. The new approach combines technology from both companies to allow businesses and organizations in remote and autonomous locations to tap the benefits of IBM’s Watson IoT and business analytics technologies and Cisco’s edge analytics capabilities.
The new approach is designed to produce insight at the point of data collection for companies operating on the edge of computer networks such as oil rigs, factories, shipping companies and mines, where time is of the essence but bandwidth is often lacking. It will allow workers in these remote environments to utilize business-critical data that was often previously undetected and overlooked so they can better monitor the health and behavior of critical machinery and more accurately plan for maintenance and equipment upgrades.
For operations in remote locations, decisions have to be made immediately, and uploading all data to the cloud is not always the best option, observed Harriet Green, general manager, IBM Watson IoT, Commerce & Education. The new approach from IBM and Cisco takes IoT technologies the last mile, she said, extending Watson IoT from the cloud to the edge of computer networks, and helping to make analytics capabilities available more broadly.
By tapping into the power of the IBM Watson IoT platform and Ciscos edge analytics, the companies say, organizations operating at the edge can potentially reduce maintenance costs by up to 50% and increase productivity by 25%.
More information is available on the Cisco and IBM collaboration.