There has been a lot going on in the world of data storage for industrial IoT designs, shifting away from the more traditional approach and moving into a real that includes integrated solutions for computing, storage, connecting, controlling and even protecting vital information. Such solutions tap into the needs that span across IoT and they are made specifically for IIoT applications where you will find that requirements for both data security and system reliability are crucial.
The fact of the matter is that there is quite a bit that distinguishes SSDs for either IoT or IIoT. The world of IoT has been evolving at a rapid pace, where the smart thermostats that may have come out around five years ago focusing on the mainstream IoT are simply a smaller segment of applications that are more consumer-focused. While the uses of IoT for the office and home were still developing, the industrial-centric community was working hard at coming up with solutions for the applications that were more mission critical in terms of internet connected devices.
While looking at SSDs, the more common kinds are those that are used in consumer IoT applications. These are simple drives that generally will be lacking when it comes to reliability, endurance, and performance when compared to the industrial-grade SSDs. For example, you will find that a consumer-grade SSD will be perfect for use with desktop or laptop computers. However, if you are going to try to tell a seasoned engineer that they can work on an enterprise or embedded storage system and still get incredible reliability, they are sure to disagree.
You are usually not going to find IIoT endpoints in any sort of remote and/or harsh environment, so the SSDs that are used in such situations will need to be able to support extreme elements such as shock, temperature, and vibration. They should also come with a kind of easy, set it and forget it element while also lasting a bit longer than a run of the mill rugged SSD. The applications and any critical data that will be collected and stored should never be compromised, as there is a whole lot more at stake when it comes to IIoT data collecting and storage than you would find with basic IoT.
Just know that using IIoT SSDs will give you a much more tailored for and a better cost of ownership overall, while also bringing about a much longer lifespan for your IIoT design.

  • These are a certain number of features that SSDs for IIoT demand growth for with each generation, including:
  • Smaller Footprint – Certain compact form factors make it easier to integrate SSD with IIoT applications of all sizes.
  • Durability That Is Industrial Grade – In order to mitigate the impact of vibration, temperature, and shock, the IIoT SSD will have to include a rugged industrial design along with a high level of endurance.

Capacity And Interface Optimization – Just like other embedded applications, IIoT will not put a premium on high capacity, but more of a focus on the number of bytes per design. A minimal capacity SSD is going to consume less power while being less expensive.
Lower Power – There is more than the cost involved when talking about the benefits of lower power consumption. Any low power IIoT SSD will also bring about less cooling and greater durability so that drive can easily be used in a design that is more constrained in terms of space.
Data Protection – There are always breaches to be concerned about in the data world, so having unbreakable security for any IIoT will be critical. This will include elements such as data encryption and device authentication for protecting any data that is obtained at the edge from any sort of tampering or unauthorized use.
Remote Monitoring – It is never practical to have IIoT SSDs on the network edge, especially when you are trying to perform onsite monitoring. Software for remote monitoring will be very helpful when it comes to assuring that you will have all of the reliability and performance that you need with your industrial IoT storage.
To sum it up, the storage solutions for IoT and IIoT are two very different animals. An off the shelf SSD will be good for a refrigerator, thermostat or other uses around the household, but you will not get the same level of trust when using it for a factory or any other sort of industrial application.

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