Google Cloud Platform Acquires Xively IoT Management Service

IoT devices are starting to feel like a slasher movie for IT professionals. You know they’re out there, you know they’re coming, and when they get here you’re in trouble. Unless you’re prepared, of course. Gartner estimates that over 20 billion IoT devices will be devices will be connected by 2020. Sometimes, IT teams aren’t given the proper warning regarding these devices. Employees might bring in their Google Echo and you have no idea. Google wants to make these changes easier with their recent acquisition of the IoT platform, Xively.

81% of companies implementing IoT on their own end up with overrun costs or products that get hacked, according to Xively’s research. IoT devices are responsible for the 2016 attack, Mirai, that caused huge portions of the internet to go down. Computers infected with the Mirai malware would continually search for vulnerable IoT devices and then use default usernames and passwords to log in.

These devices are not safe at all without the proper management. Xively, and now Google, strives to offer the management needed to consumers. Data storage is a primary way that Xively improves the security of IoT devices. Most of these devices lack the processing power and memory to run efficient antivirus software, firewalls, and other safeguards. Xively safely stores the data from these devices to temper vulnerabilities.

As with any monitoring tool, Xively comes with extensive insights. The dashboard allows users to be alerted to issues before they escalate. Today’s connected world requires effective real-time monitoring. Network monitoring solutions provide this for network connectivity. Users can also implement new features, solutions, and firmware updates right from the dashboard. IoT device vulnerability should be a problem of the past with the proper management and monitoring.

Google’s official press release states, “This acquisition, subject to closing conditions, will complement Google Cloud’s effort to provide a fully managed IoT service that easily and securely connects, manages, and ingests data from globally dispersed devices. With the addition of Xively’s robust, enterprise-ready IoT platform, we can accelerate our customers’ timeline from IoT vision to product, as they look to build their connected business.”