The “Internet of things” could be great, but first we need a platform to support it

The “Internet of things” refers to the idea of turning everyday objects around us into responsive data devices. It’s one of the hottest ideas in tech right now -- even if we’re totally lacking the resources we need to support it.

For Tamara Budec, an executive with data services provider Digital Realty, the building of the physical layer for the Internet of things has barely begun, and moving forward will require constructing new clusters of data centers and also and freeing up more wireless spectrum.

There are also questions of how to build in global security and privacy controls, according to Jai Menon, VP and chief research officer at Dell Research. The challenge is especially daunting, Menon said, given the sheer scale of data that can now be collected. He pointed out that capturing all the information points generated by New York City’s taxi fleet would produce an unmanageable 26 exabytes a year.

Menon also noted that building an infrastructure for the Internet of things will involve constructing not only physical plant, but next-generation analytic tools that are not just predictive, but prescriptive too -- for instance, sensors that would not just predict a storm tomorrow, but also be capable of sending emergency responders to meet it.