Overview
Over The Air (OTA) update is the single most important feature of an IoT solution. You might not agree with me, but please let me explain.
OTA
The OTA allows updating:
- firmware/operating system
- business application
- configuration files
- security posture of an IoT device
…once this device was shipped to the customer and/or installed in a hard-to-reach location.
Most important feature?
An IoT solution should realize the business needs of a customer/user.
Customers need their Smart Home appliance to support them in daily life, the production line to operate without any downtimes, and other things.
Most of them are not aware that OTA exists, so why do I claim that this feature is so important?
My reasoning
Agile development of an IoT solution
The OTA enables the agile development of the IoT solution.
The overall process looks as follows:
- implement an IoT solution limited to the following functionalities:
- MVP (Minimum Viable Product) that meets the core needs of customers; it does not have to be perfect; actually, it can hardly work
- OTA for connected devices (including Edge Gateways if you use them)
- create a way for users/customers to provide feedback (for example leveraging the companion mobile app)
- implement/modify/extend/remove features of the IoT solution based on the received feedback
- use the OTA functionality to deploy those modifications to devices owned by customers (without any need for customer interaction; OTA upgrade should be completely automated and should not (if possible) impact the satisfaction of the end user (which is not always doable))
- go to step 2. and iterate
Using this approach, you reduce the Time To Market (TTM) - which means that you invest minimal time and money in development. Additionally, you will avoid wasting time and money on developing functionalities no one needs (even though they seemed important during solution design).
Security
Even if your initial setup was secure, someone might exploit it in the future. Using the OTA update, you can keep your code and 3rd party libraries up-to-date for many years after device deployment.
Summary
That is why I do believe that the OTA update is the most important feature of any IoT solution.
Feel free to reach out if you do (not) agree with me!
