The Internet of Things: Coming to a network near you

When people talk about the Internet of Things (IoT), the most common examples are smart cars, IP-addressable washing machines and Internet-connected nanny cams. But IoT is coming to the enterprise as well, and IT execs should already be thinking about the ways that IoT will shake up the corporate network. "Products and services which were previously outside their domain will increasingly be under their jurisdiction," says Daniel Castro, senior analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based research and educational institute. So, what are these devices? Castro says that companies increasingly will be operating in "smart buildings" with advanced HVAC systems that are connected to the rest of the corporate network.