Editorial team
InfoWeb Marketplace · Editorial team
Published on 31 March 2020 · 6 min read
This is more a matter of complementarity than of differences. IoT (Internet of Things) is a broader set of technologies, which includes M2M applications. Indeed, IoT encompasses different technologies and types of hardware: objects (sensors), connectivity, data, data management, operating applications and, finally, networks. M2M refers rather to mobile networks, and in particular to traditional, regulated technologies such as 2G, 3G, 4G and soon 5G. It can therefore be considered an original branch of IoT.
M2M comprises several components: a communicating module/object, a platform for managing the objects and a business application that processes and uses the data. Today, M2M networks are found everywhere in our daily lives: speed cameras, e-readers and electronic payment terminals are a few examples. These are all small devices capable of communicating with limited human intervention.
The end of the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), the arrival of LTE-M, the rollout of 5G and the development of sectors such as the Smart City are fostering the rise of M2M. M2M applications have no borders. Able to meet a very wide range of industrial needs and true drivers of technological transformation, they are used all over the world. M2M networks nevertheless remain tightly regulated by national directives, harmonized at European and global level.
High-speed, long-range M2M networks first met with success in the USA thanks to the arrival of e-books and connected e-readers. In Europe, France is one of the historical markets for M2M, which began in France with the management of professional fleets, particularly trucks.
Today, M2M is used notably in industry, in France and internationally, and in various sectors of activity. It addresses many use cases, for example:
- automotive, with vehicle fleet management and the collection of data on driving behavior…
- energy, for the real-time transmission and management of energy, electricity, gas and water consumption.
- the Smart City, for the energy management of buildings, as well as lighting or temperature measurement in public places. In France, the main Smart City use cases are connected parking meters, streetlight management, the monitoring of waste containers and the development of video surveillance.
- healthcare, for teleconsultation, notably in rural areas, as well as hospital-at-home care to relieve hospital overload. Many applications are created in this field every day.
- tourism: thanks to mobile Wi-Fi hotspot solutions, the tourism, transport and events sectors can benefit from an internet connection on several devices without downloading additional software to the devices.
IoT networks differ from one another in their range, the energy consumption of the objects, their data rate capacity, their service level… It is sometimes difficult for companies to choose which networks are the most relevant for their project. Several types of networks exist, and each corresponds to a need:
- Short-range networks (RFID, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth…): these complementary technologies have more limited network coverage and are used only locally, mostly in the form of small private networks. Most ?consumer? connected objects use them.
- Low-power, long-range networks: LPWA technologies, short for Low Power Wide Area, make it possible to connect objects over wide areas with an energy autonomy of several years (over 10 years in some cases). Opening the door to many uses and easy to install without affecting production lines, these networks are used by industrial connected objects that do not transmit overly heavy data. Networks such as LoRaWAN or NB-IoT belong to this category. They expand the range of objects that can be connected, of possible use cases and of new business models.
- Long-range, high-speed networks: these are the so-called ?classic? cellular networks (traditional 3GPP technologies, used mainly by mobile operators, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE-M and soon 5G). These technologies allow significant mobility and can, if data is unavailable, fall back on SMS communication.
The various developments in the M2M network sector have revolutionized the technical uses of today's industries and professionals.
IoT and M2M projects represent a genuine structural transformation and therefore a significant investment, so companies must choose sensors and networks precisely suited to the data they want to collect. This choice will depend in particular on the nature of the information, the desired data rate and whether or not immediacy is needed. Use cases are many, and the company should turn to a trusted partner to develop the project.
In security and video surveillance, for example, companies need to handle large volumes of data in real time - a long-range, high-speed technology such as 4G will be the best option here to collect information as quickly as possible over wide geographic areas. By contrast, a simple alarm or motion detector needs neither high speed nor long range, but rather service continuity, which can be ensured by SMS as a fallback when data is unavailable. Each sensor uses a different M2M technology; the key is knowing how to combine them. A single project can bring together different types of networks. This is why interoperability is essential when choosing sensors: the entire ecosystem must share common languages that allow its components to communicate with each other.
To protect themselves against cyberattacks, companies are increasingly attentive to sensor security. In reality, security depends little on local risks at the level of the sensors and connected objects themselves, but rather on external attacks and on the ecosystem as a whole. IoT and M2M projects bring together several technologies and several players, and it is the duty of the network administrator and its partners to control and regulate each of their applications.
The LoRa network - a long-range, low-power network technology - has, for example, 3 security levels. It is a symmetric encryption mechanism based on 3 keys: a primary authentication key and 2 secondary keys, one associated with transport and the other with the data from the object. Some operators, such as Bouygues Telecom, also add extra layers of security, for example encryption key management systems operated by a trusted third party.
To ensure the success of an IoT or M2M project, it is essential to call on a qualified operator with a network of recognized partners, able to guide the company in choosing the most suitable technologies and sensors, with a view to both overall performance and cost optimization. These projects, which carry major strategic stakes, are highly technical. To support companies optimally, operators need to understand the company's business and its challenges in detail, in order to offer the solution best suited to its specific needs. Depending on business uses and the constraints of the solution, the experts will steer you toward the optimal technology. Sometimes a single sensor can use two different technologies to guarantee service continuity.
This is not about meeting a simple need for network coverage, but rather about finding the combination of technologies that delivers a high-performing network and allows the various sensors and applications to be integrated and connected to it. It is this phase of learning and knowledge sharing that makes a real partnership possible. The company can then focus on its core business, while entrusting its partner with the management, maintenance and evolution of the IoT or M2M network.
Objenious on M2M, the cornerstone of IoT projects
InfoWeb Marketplace · Editorial teamPublished on 31 March 2020 · 6 min read
Bernardo Cabrera, director of Objenious, takes stock of M2M, the cornerstone of IoT projects.
Machine-to-Machine, more commonly known as M2M, refers to all the traditional wireless network technologies that allow objects or systems to communicate with one another and automatically exchange information. We all already use this technology every day, notably through our mobile phones. In the professional world, more and more industries are integrating M2M and Internet of Things (IoT) projects into their production systems to accelerate their transformation. However, although we encounter these technologies in our daily lives, knowledge of the different networks sometimes remains superficial, even though their performance and reliability are a central concern.
IoT and M2M: what are the differences?
This is more a matter of complementarity than of differences. IoT (Internet of Things) is a broader set of technologies, which includes M2M applications. Indeed, IoT encompasses different technologies and types of hardware: objects (sensors), connectivity, data, data management, operating applications and, finally, networks. M2M refers rather to mobile networks, and in particular to traditional, regulated technologies such as 2G, 3G, 4G and soon 5G. It can therefore be considered an original branch of IoT.
M2M comprises several components: a communicating module/object, a platform for managing the objects and a business application that processes and uses the data. Today, M2M networks are found everywhere in our daily lives: speed cameras, e-readers and electronic payment terminals are a few examples. These are all small devices capable of communicating with limited human intervention.
The rise of M2M networks across all sectors
The end of the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), the arrival of LTE-M, the rollout of 5G and the development of sectors such as the Smart City are fostering the rise of M2M. M2M applications have no borders. Able to meet a very wide range of industrial needs and true drivers of technological transformation, they are used all over the world. M2M networks nevertheless remain tightly regulated by national directives, harmonized at European and global level.
High-speed, long-range M2M networks first met with success in the USA thanks to the arrival of e-books and connected e-readers. In Europe, France is one of the historical markets for M2M, which began in France with the management of professional fleets, particularly trucks.
Today, M2M is used notably in industry, in France and internationally, and in various sectors of activity. It addresses many use cases, for example:
- automotive, with vehicle fleet management and the collection of data on driving behavior…
- energy, for the real-time transmission and management of energy, electricity, gas and water consumption.
- the Smart City, for the energy management of buildings, as well as lighting or temperature measurement in public places. In France, the main Smart City use cases are connected parking meters, streetlight management, the monitoring of waste containers and the development of video surveillance.
- healthcare, for teleconsultation, notably in rural areas, as well as hospital-at-home care to relieve hospital overload. Many applications are created in this field every day.
- tourism: thanks to mobile Wi-Fi hotspot solutions, the tourism, transport and events sectors can benefit from an internet connection on several devices without downloading additional software to the devices.
Different IoT networks to meet all business needs
IoT networks differ from one another in their range, the energy consumption of the objects, their data rate capacity, their service level… It is sometimes difficult for companies to choose which networks are the most relevant for their project. Several types of networks exist, and each corresponds to a need:
- Short-range networks (RFID, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth…): these complementary technologies have more limited network coverage and are used only locally, mostly in the form of small private networks. Most ?consumer? connected objects use them.
- Low-power, long-range networks: LPWA technologies, short for Low Power Wide Area, make it possible to connect objects over wide areas with an energy autonomy of several years (over 10 years in some cases). Opening the door to many uses and easy to install without affecting production lines, these networks are used by industrial connected objects that do not transmit overly heavy data. Networks such as LoRaWAN or NB-IoT belong to this category. They expand the range of objects that can be connected, of possible use cases and of new business models.
- Long-range, high-speed networks: these are the so-called ?classic? cellular networks (traditional 3GPP technologies, used mainly by mobile operators, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE-M and soon 5G). These technologies allow significant mobility and can, if data is unavailable, fall back on SMS communication.
The various developments in the M2M network sector have revolutionized the technical uses of today's industries and professionals.
A network inherent to every IoT project
IoT and M2M projects represent a genuine structural transformation and therefore a significant investment, so companies must choose sensors and networks precisely suited to the data they want to collect. This choice will depend in particular on the nature of the information, the desired data rate and whether or not immediacy is needed. Use cases are many, and the company should turn to a trusted partner to develop the project.
In security and video surveillance, for example, companies need to handle large volumes of data in real time - a long-range, high-speed technology such as 4G will be the best option here to collect information as quickly as possible over wide geographic areas. By contrast, a simple alarm or motion detector needs neither high speed nor long range, but rather service continuity, which can be ensured by SMS as a fallback when data is unavailable. Each sensor uses a different M2M technology; the key is knowing how to combine them. A single project can bring together different types of networks. This is why interoperability is essential when choosing sensors: the entire ecosystem must share common languages that allow its components to communicate with each other.
Security at the heart of IoT and M2M projects
To protect themselves against cyberattacks, companies are increasingly attentive to sensor security. In reality, security depends little on local risks at the level of the sensors and connected objects themselves, but rather on external attacks and on the ecosystem as a whole. IoT and M2M projects bring together several technologies and several players, and it is the duty of the network administrator and its partners to control and regulate each of their applications.
The LoRa network - a long-range, low-power network technology - has, for example, 3 security levels. It is a symmetric encryption mechanism based on 3 keys: a primary authentication key and 2 secondary keys, one associated with transport and the other with the data from the object. Some operators, such as Bouygues Telecom, also add extra layers of security, for example encryption key management systems operated by a trusted third party.
A customized project and dedicated support
To ensure the success of an IoT or M2M project, it is essential to call on a qualified operator with a network of recognized partners, able to guide the company in choosing the most suitable technologies and sensors, with a view to both overall performance and cost optimization. These projects, which carry major strategic stakes, are highly technical. To support companies optimally, operators need to understand the company's business and its challenges in detail, in order to offer the solution best suited to its specific needs. Depending on business uses and the constraints of the solution, the experts will steer you toward the optimal technology. Sometimes a single sensor can use two different technologies to guarantee service continuity.
This is not about meeting a simple need for network coverage, but rather about finding the combination of technologies that delivers a high-performing network and allows the various sensors and applications to be integrated and connected to it. It is this phase of learning and knowledge sharing that makes a real partnership possible. The company can then focus on its core business, while entrusting its partner with the management, maintenance and evolution of the IoT or M2M network.