I have been recently been involved in a number of projects around and about the Internet of Things (IoT), smart solutions, sensors or remote control endpoints (e.g. traffic lights, cameras) and their connectivity (see Wikipedia for a basic explanation. Initially I was wondering what IoT is all about. Is IoT like many fashions in the IT industry before (e.g. e-business, SOA, big data, virtualisation) or is it different? The reason I have asked myself is because most of those previous trends have been announced as fundamental changes, revolutions, game-changer and paradigm shifts, while most of the time there was much smoke about very little. There was hardly any shift. The innovation was never that innovative. The IT landscape only became more complex. The expected revolution never came. In order to collect my thoughts and put them in order I have create a presentation which I would like to share here. Bottom line: IoT is different but not in as much as only in technology terms. There is a large part of combining some new and a lot of existing technologies in very innovative ways. The main impact is however in the following areas: 1. The new and complex ways of doing business. 2. An increased relevance of legal aspects. 3. A change what users expect from IT and IoT in specific. 4. The extension of information security from protection and defence into policing and enforcement 5. The extension of information security to include requirements and considerations of operational safety. It has become apparent to me that this time it is different because there is a clear impact for people using technology, not just a technological change. IoT is different and will change not only the IT industry but business and social life as a whole. Just have a look how I think it could impact you. I hope you are entertained and inspired.

1. The Internet of Things…
Is IoT a true game-changer or just
another technology fad?
…this time it’s different?
© H Tonn, 2015

2. Introduction
There are and have been many fashions in the IT industry: e-business, SOA, cloud, big
data or virtualisation to name a few.
Most of these have been announced as fundamental changes, as paradigm shifts.
But most of the time there was just a hype. The innovation was never that innovative. The IT
landscape only became more complex and costly while otherwise things carried on the
usual way.
Time passed and along came another fashion... the Internet of Things. At first it appeared to
be yet another marketing fad, another invention by vendors and providers to increase
sales.
But there are a number of unique features and IoT might be a true game changer.
Maybe this time it is different. Let’s have a closer look at the features of IoT.
© H Tonn, 2015

3. Unique IoT Features
The intention of this presentation is to
identify and examine the impacts of
IoT.
How will IoT impact the way we
use IT or do business?
For this the following IoT features are
examined.
 Endpoints
 Silos
 Location Awareness & Context
 Innovative Combinations
 The Inter-Cloud
 Communication Protocols
 Architecture Capability
 Symbiotic Business Models
 Security & Data Protection
 Information Assets
 Operational Safety
© H Tonn, 2015

4. Endpoints
In IoT there are more than just end user devices such as PCs,
mobiles, tablets or printers.
The new things in IoT are autonomous endpoints: sensors, actuators
or annunciators generating their information without direct human
interaction or devices which allow remote control of machines and
other equipment.
As such IoT solutions will be more than just traditional data
processing. IoT solutions will also cover industrial, electrical and
mechanical process control.
New endpoints in IoT will allow that solutions combine
remote process control with traditional data processing to
create a new breed of IT solutions.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Only User
Devices
Future State:
New Endpoints

5. Silos
IoT will require new systems and additional IT resources.
There is the danger, that these systems will be only
added as silo solutions. If so, IT complexity and cost will
increase from
a) custom interfaces between silos,
b) fragmented IT resource tiers and
c) duplicated components and tiers.
IoT has the potential to jeopardise the benefits of a
truly modular IT architecture. IT resources for IoT
should not be just bolted on but integrated to an
otherwise modular and meshed IT estate.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional: Silos
Future State: Modular
& Meshed

6. Location Awareness & Context
In the past there were only user requests for information. To get
context-specific information, users had to provide this context
themselves.
In the age of IoT, information requests can automatically include
the location, social or consumer context of requesting users.
Users become increasingly spoilt by apps anticipating of what
they want or what they need.
Systems are expected to automatically consider the users
context to provide tailored answers (i.e. the way to the next
restaurant).
Applications and their data must be designed and
optimised for this purpose.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Simple Interaction
Traditional:
Contextual
Information

7. Innovative Combinations
The innovation of IoT is not only about innovative technologies.
Much of the technology used in IoT already exists.
The difference is, that in IoT many more of these technologies
become connectable and have the capability to communicate
with each other.
The innovation of IoT is in essence the innovative combination
of technologies, not only innovative technologies as such.
Businesses have to discover how to utilise this
capability.
Consumer have high expectations and these are not
about the latest smart phone as such but how the latest
smart phone can be used.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Simple Use
Future State:
Innovative Use

8. The Inter-Cloud
In the past, in-house IT resources together with a single cloud
service sufficed to satisfy the IT demands of most businesses.
In the future IoT solutions are likely to utilise different cloud
services. Businesses will mix & match IT resources as required.
The new IT estate will be a fabric of different networks (internet
and intranet) but also various cloud services (inter-cloud).
In this new world, service levels will spread across several
providers. Contracts and legal aspects become immensely
important.
Managing the governance and legal aspects of IT across
several layers of providers will become a distinct
management capability.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional: In-House &
Cloud
Future State: Inter-Cloud

9. Communication Protocols
Traditional IT tends to use specific interfaces, processing data
before and interpreting data after transmission.
IoT is based on telecommunications (TC) which is using
common languages, the so-called protocols, instead.
Networks in general and IoT in specific relies on TC while its
design and architecture is vastly different from IT.
As a result the data processing intelligence of IT
systems is moving from the data centre into
telecommunication networks.
Architects & designers need to become
knowledgeable in network design to leverage the
possibilities.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Processing-focused
Future State:
Protocol-based
g(x) h(x) h(x)g(x) i(x) i(x)
f(x)

10. Architecture Capability
IoT depends on the free flow of information and hence highly
integrated systems.
As such architects and designer for IoT systems have to extend
their scope of work. They need to understand the solution in
the context of the IT landscape as well as design the overall
solution features and behaviour across system boundaries.
A different skill set for architecture will be in demand.
Enterprise Architects in IoT need to improve their orchestration
skills and stop designing detail. Specific technical expertise
will only be as important as it can be leveraged.
The scope of Architects in an IoT-world is not to have a
scope.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Strict Solution Scope
Future State:
Solution Context
Scope

11. Symbiotic Business Models
IoT is about information context (e.g. user location and
previous purchases). In IoT this information context will be
a valued good. Businesses which provide contextualised
information will charge for their services.
As a result IoT will result in different business models, value
propositions and revenue models. The technological,
organisational and – most of all – legal aspects of those
need to be understood.
Business managers need to understand the
consequences and implications of entering into these
new forms of partnerships and business models.
Only then they will be able to cash in on new
business ideas.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Conventional Business
Future State:
New Business
ADS

12. Security & Data Protection
In IoT there will new endpoints and additional user devices for
corporate and public access using cloud & inter-cloud services
with connections based on standardised protocols.
This is a substantial increase to the attack surface and when
everything is connected, perimeter protection (firewalls and
access control) is not good enough anymore. Security will
have to evolve to include policing the whole IT estate.
At the same time security enforcement (if it exists at all) needs
to evolve to be a truly independent governance function.
IT Security has to evolve from Protection to include
Policing and Enforcement. Such functions need to be truly
independent, not driven by profit considerations.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Protection only
Future State:
Policing & Enforcement

13. i
i
i
i
i
ii i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
ii i
i
i
Traditional:
Limited Control on
Information
Future State:
Information-as-a-
Asset
Information Asset
Users are discovering that their personal information is becoming a valued
good. This has happened without user knowledge and sometimes without
consent. Users have little to no means to find out what they have revealed.
But users want to be able to manage their information. They demand to
know where their data is held and where it can be modified. They even
want to cash in on their personal information if possible.
The resulting question for user therefore is, if IoT will exist in an
environment of fragmented information custody (i.e. many businesses
have user data but no one is ultimately responsible) or if IoT will become a
federated security environment (i.e. information custody is traceable and
ultimate ownership lies with the individual).
What will the new concept of information ownership, custodianship
and usage look like?
© H Tonn, 2015

14. Operational Safety
The worse thing that could happen in traditional IT solutions was
financial damage, loss of confidentiality and reputational damage.
Not that this is not bad enough but in IoT the potential impacts are
much higher as IoT controls critical infrastructures. Damages can
range from environmental disasters to loss of life and the financial
implications of those.
It can also be observed that the motivation for attacks is changing
from fraud and espionage to pure and simple sabotage.
But some rest assured: Operational safety is addressed in
industry-specific regulations and standards. However…
Architects, designers and analysts need to understand
operational safety and the implications for their work.
© H Tonn, 2015
Traditional:
Loss of confidentiality
Future State:
Real-life disasters

15. Conclusion
After this presentation it should have become clear that IoT is a true game changer but not
in as much as only in a technology or innovation context.
Most IoT technologies are not strictly new nor innovative. The technology change is mainly
about how technology is combined and connected.
The real game-change is coming from a number of non-IT subjects and most of these are
not widely discussed in the IT industry yet.
 New business models and complex patterns of business interactions.
 The legal implications of IoT.
 Impacts and a changing playing field for data protection and privacy.
 The extension of Information security into operational safety.
© H Tonn, 2015

16. Recommendations
So what to do? My advice is to stop discussing IoT only in the technological context. The
discussion has to include the sociological, commercial and political dimensions.
In specific this means the following:
Advice for businesses: Start defining your own ideas how to use IoT while doing the necessary
governance homework (e.g. legal, security, operational safety…). Assume that everything is
technically possible. Don’t wait for nerds to suggest business ideas. You as the business knows
best.
Advice for users: Be interested in your data. Become aware, demand to participate and know
how your personal information is collected, processed and used. Voice your expectations.
Advice for IT: Increase your organisation and orchestration capabilities rather than adding more
specialists. Business knowledge will be as, if not more important than IT knowledge. IT experts
alone might not be able to effectively assist you in responding to business challenges.
© H Tonn, 2015

17. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION
By Heinz Tonn
Enterprise Architecture Consultant
Find me on LinkedIn
© H Tonn, 2015