Many enterprises are thinking about or already deploying Internet of Things solutions, but IoT deployments won’t be easy or cheap. In fact, IoT will require the latest in automation and wireless network technology to pull off. 

That is the view of Kenneth Dilbeck, vice president of collaboration research and development at the TM Forum, a non-profit association of digital economy firms.

To reach its full potential IoT will require automation, 5G wireless connectivity and network functions virtualization technology, Dilbeck told the TM Forum Live event, according to a report by RCR Wireless.

Dilbeck argued that big data analytics and automation will required for IoT to function effectively. Humans need to be taken out of the IoT loop, he stressed.

In addition, NFV technology will be essential for future networks over which IoT will run, Dilbeck said.

Steve Bell, senior analyst with Heavy Reading, agrees with Dilbeck that NFV as well as software defined networking will be needed to handle the billions of devices pumping data as part of the IoT revolution.

With NFV and SDN, telecom operators will be able to control their networks and adapt their billing system for IoT devices and parties along the value chain, Bell noted.

Let’s not forget about the Wi-Fi network. IoT will tax the wireless local area network, requiring enterprises to invest in scalable, intelligent Wi-Fi networks to handle the all of the data being generated by IoT devices within the enterprise, explained Dirk Gates, Xirrus founder and executive chairman in contributed article to Network Computing cited by our sister publication FierceEnterpriseCommunications.

There is no doubt that IoT will improve productivity and reduce costs for the enterprise, but it will not come without challenges, not the least of which is whether the networks can handle the flood of data coming from all these devices.

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