There are numerous technical issues for IoT, including the selection and deployment of devices, network connectivity and building adequate analytical capabilities and capacity. But all those considerations relate to the actual building and operation of an IoT infrastructure. For many organizations, the initial questions are far simpler; why do it, and how should we start?

As with any IT project, an IOT initiative must start with a clear strategy that outlines the purpose of the project and clearly states its goals. Such an initial strategy might also underscore the intended value proposition -- such as increased productivity or decreased costs through predictive maintenance -- of the project to justify the financial and intellectual investment required. With a strategy in mind, the business usually moves into a period of research and experimentation to identify IoT products, software and other infrastructure elements. Project managers then implement limited proof-of-principle projects to demonstrate the technology and refine its deployment and management tactics, such as configuration and security. At the same time, analysts evaluate ways to use the resulting data and understand the tools and computing infrastructure needed to derive business intelligence from the IoT data. This might involve using limited data center resources for small-scale analytics, with an eye to public cloud resources and services as the IoT project scales. A business can approach an IoT project in three ways: Regardless of the approach, the key is to remain focused on the value IoT brings to the business.