Avnet enables comprehensive IoT security for Azure Sphere

The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed various industries by achieving automation, but while IoT technology brings unlimited market opportunities, it has also caused concerns about its security in the industry. Security vulnerabilities in the software and hardware of IoT solutions have become the target of cyber attacks. With the increasing number of connected devices, the security threats faced by IoT devices have become more prominent.

Today, all IoT devices we use in our daily lives have a built-in microchip called a microcontroller (MCU). In fact, more than 900 million devices with built-in MCUs are manufactured and deployed worldwide every year. The MCU is like the brain of the device, handling computing, storage, and memory functions together with the operating system in the device. Only when the MCU is secure can the security of the IoT network be ensured.

In order to protect the MCU from security vulnerabilities, the security of software, hardware and cloud must be achieved in one security solution. Microsoft captured this demand a few years ago and developed an end-to-end solution Azure Sphere. The product suite has three components that can ensure the security of users' IoT solutions in hardware, software and cloud.

Worry-free security from chip to cloud

Since comprehensive security measures must be provided to ensure the security of the Internet of Things, the Azure Sphere solution and the partners who support it must also have comprehensive and strong capabilities. Avnet not only has rich experience in hardware security, but also has complete capabilities in the fields of microcontrollers and the Internet of Things. In view of this, Microsoft believes in Avnet's expertise and knowledge in hardware and has chosen Avnet as the first distributor to provide technical support for its Azure Sphere solution.

In addition, based on Microsoft's Azure Sphere solution, Avnet launched the Azure Sphere MT360 starter kit, which can quickly build prototypes for IoT project implementations, helping developers address major challenges such as security issues and quickly bring new IoT terminal devices to market.

The launch of the Avnet Azure Sphere MT360 Starter Kit not only helps developers accelerate their IoT deployment, but also comprehensively addresses security issues from chip to cloud. The kit is suitable for building secure IoT edge devices such as consumer electronics devices and smart retail, remote access, and building and factory automation applications.

“Security is critical to the continued growth of the connected devices market, and with Azure Sphere, Microsoft has made significant progress in delivering secure connectivity,” said Jim Beneke, vice president of engineering and technology at Avnet. “Our new starter kit builds on that success by providing a simple way for customers to accelerate prototyping, proof-of-concept development, and get to market quickly when creating Azure Sphere-based devices, while ensuring their solutions are secure.”

Focus on edge AI and security

The number of IoT devices is increasing. According to data released by Statista, the number of IoT devices worldwide is expected to increase to 31 billion by 2020. With the significant increase in connected devices, it is expected that more than 500 zettabytes of data will be generated. Enterprises can gain practical insights by analyzing this data.

Today, most data processing is done in the cloud. However, some applications require real-time data analysis, so companies are beginning to focus on processing and analyzing data on devices or at the edge. Edge computing and analysis have shorter paths for acquiring and processing data, making devices closer to intelligence, thus rivaling the capabilities of the public cloud.

Companies are integrating edge analytics capabilities with their IoT platforms, including Avnet and its SmartEdge Agile IoT device that leverages Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform.

Avnet and Octonion, a provider of smart edge IoT software, have teamed up to launch a customized modular plug-and-play IoT device, Avnet SmartEdge Agile. The device uses Octonion's Brainium meta-sensing artificial intelligence software and is designed specifically for LTE-M networks. Avnet SmartEdge Agile enables edge artificial intelligence and security, and is the first solution on the market that can help engineers and manufacturers deploy IoT projects on ultra-narrow bandwidth networks to benefit from edge artificial intelligence and security capabilities. The solution is hosted on Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform to take full advantage of Azure's outstanding performance and robustness.

With the benefits of Avnet SmartEdge Agile and LTE-M connectivity, customers can get a cost-effective, certified, and ready-to-use IoT device. This device, combined with Octonion's Brainium metasensing software hosted in Microsoft Azure, can help developers simplify and overcome the complexity faced by IoT project development, providing edge artificial intelligence and security as an end-to-end platform solution.

Lou Lutostanski, vice president of global IoT at Avnet, said: “LTE-M networks are ideal for IoT edge computing, and with Avnet’s SmartEdge Agile IoT devices, customers can quickly and cost-effectively deploy smart and secure IoT solutions.”

Azure Sphere has profound implications for IoT deployments

The Azure Sphere solution builds security into the chip and optimizes it through cloud services, which can improve the way IoT networks identify threats, thus building a reliable IoT as a whole. Thanks to this new end-to-end security guarantee, enterprises can truly move from small-scale IoT deployments to large-scale business deployments, especially in areas such as manufacturing. Because the Azure Sphere ecosystem simplifies the deployment, management, and security of these predictive maintenance systems, it can help manufacturers enhance and expand their field services.

Security and scalability have been major concerns for IoT deployments in the past. Azure Sphere gives you the opportunity to fundamentally reshape your business and realize new value and insights. Without having to worry about security threats, enterprises can focus more on larger IoT goals that can truly create value for their business, such as incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning into enterprise networks.