WHITE PAPER The Intel® IoT Platform Architecture Specification White Paper Internet of Things (IoT) Reference Architecture for IoT Infrastructure As the Internet of Things (IoT) By 2020, it is expected that more than 50 billion devices will be connected to the gains momentum, there is a 1 need for a suite of connected cloud and each other in what is commonly called the Internet of Things (IoT). products and services that have Before this can become a reality, solution providers must recognize and tackle awareness of each other and their the complexity of IoT solutions to ensure secure, scalable, and interoperable IoT surroundings. To help satisfy this deployments. need, Intel defined and released the Intel® IoT Platform, which Along these lines, Intel, working with its ecosystem partners, defined a system includes reference architectures architecture specification (SAS) for connecting nearly any type of device to the and a portfolio of products cloud, whether it has native Internet connectivity or not, as shown in Figure 1. The from Intel and the ecosystem. To guide the development and specification is intended to help developers, OEMs, independent software vendors deployment of IoT solutions, (ISVs), and communications service providers (CSPs) develop and deploy IoT solu- Intel has defined reference tions in keeping with five key tenets: architectures for the IoT, which addresses requirements for • Services to monetize the • Analytics infrastructure to provide data and device security, device IoT infrastructure customer value discovery, provisioning and Data and device management Real-time, insightful, and secure data management, data normalization, analytics, and services. These from things to cloud analytics from things to cloud reference architectures are • Seamless data ingestion and device • Automated discovery and provisioning designed for two different use cases: one for connecting legacy control to improve interoperability of edge devices to ease deployment infrastructure—“Connecting the Broad protocol normalization support Device setup from box to cloud in Unconnected,” and another for with real-time, closed-loop control minutes building infrastructure—“Smart systems and Connected Things”. This white paper discusses both • World-class security to deliver the reference architectures and requisite data and device protection associated products from Intel. Robust hardware and software-level protection Things Third-Party Cloud Network Cloud Security Management API Libraries, Gateway Devices APIs, SDK Network Security Management API Libraries, Infrastructure Batch & Stream Storage Servers No Internet Connectivity APIs, SDK Analytics Security Management API Libraries, Internet Connectivity APIs, SDK Figure 1. End-to-End IoT Solution from Things to Network to Cloud Architecture Specification White Paper 2 Table of Contents Intel Reference Architecture data shared between smart things and Overview the cloud. Version 2.0 describes meth- Reference Architecture for ods to overcome these issues. IoT Infrastructure ...............1 The Intel® system architecture specification (SAS) is a reference Moreover, version 2.0 is a future- Intel Reference Architecture architecture for IoT, with two versions looking reference architecture. Overview .......................2 that co-exist and were designed to It facilitates the convergence of IoT Value Proposition ...........2 evolve as specifications for open and operational technology (OT) and scalable solutions. The two versions IoT Challenges .................3 information technology (IT) for represent concurrent reference seamless cyber-physical systems using Intel Leadership in IoT . 3 architectures to address different Universal Smart Objects (USO), which Intel IoT Reference Architecture. .3 partner infrastructure maturity are IPSO-Alliance.org compatible. One levels, and to separate urgent and Data Flow Example . 4 global map provides IoT resources future-proofing needs. As horizontal with a USO type and type members End-to-End IoT ................5 architectures, both versions were that have a global unique ID (GUID), Communications and designed with the same principles used and can be registered and discovered Connectivity Layer ............6 by leading cloud providers and tested with Intel Contract Broker (iCB), which for massive loads across a range of IoT is compatible with CoRE Resource Data Layer with Analytics ......6 standards and business verticals. Directory from IETF.org. Management Layer ............8 Available under a non-disclosure The specification is future-proofed Control Layer .................8 agreement (NDA), the reference through the use of modular planes architecture versions are intended Security Layer ................9 and flows for reuse across application to accelerate partner products, containers, virtual machines (VM), and Intel Building Blocks ...........10 requirements, and feedback. network functions virtualization (NFV) Summary ......................11 as developed by ETSI.org. Likewise, Version 1.0 The Intel® IoT Platform Resources .....................11 solution lifetimes are extended Reference Architecture for Connecting with support for software-defined the Unconnected networking (SDN) per the Open The Intel SAS version 1.0 specifies Networking Foundation (ONF) and how solution developers and system other reference architectures that make integrators can use an IoT gateway to it easier to manage large networks securely connect and manage legacy of disparate hardware and software devices that were not originally built with resources. intelligence or Internet connectivity. IoT Value Proposition Version 2.0 The Intel® IoT Platform Reference Architecture for Smart and Companies and organizations have Connected Things been collecting and storing data for years, but now new data analytics Intel SAS version 2.0 specifies how to technologies enable more productive integrate a variety of smart and con- use of this data by transforming it into nected things, ranging from battery- information that can increase system powered through to ultra-high perfor- throughput, improve efficiency, mance devices, which are being built reduce downtime, and enhance today with intelligence and connectivity customer experiences. When this data already integrated. In some of these is analyzed in detail using advanced configurations, an IoT gateway is not tools available on the market, it is needed. However, these smart devices possible to find patterns and extract may lack the security, manageability, or meaning that ultimately lead to integration capabilities necessary for smarter decision making. real-time, closed-loop control of the Architecture Specification White Paper 3 The IoT will deliver the infrastructure Intel Leadership in IoT The business layer utilizes the required to achieve this by making application layer to access other layers Intel has a proven history of it easier to collect, analyze, and act in the solution. The vertical security transforming vertically fragmented, on data generated by a wide array layer on the right side of Figure 2 inefficient, and proprietary markets of endpoint devices. This is done secures all layers, which is critical for into well-organized, horizontally by providing the data and device satisfying the world-class security tenet scalable, and open markets (as best connectivity, security, interoperability, mentioned previously. The following demonstrated with the PC, laptop, and analytics capabilities that enable section describes the data flow through workstation, server, and storage greater productivity. this layered architectural framework, markets). Today, Intel is working and subsequent sections cover all the to make the IoT more open and IoT Challenges architectural layers in more detail. cohesive by leading the creation of Before the full benefits of the IoT two important consortia to promote can be realized, the industry must a standards-based and inclusive Developer Enabling Layer (APIs, SDKs, Dev Tools) address some challenges facing end IoT development environment. The Business Layer customers and solution providers Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) and alike. Data security and privacy must the Open Interconnect Consortium be omnipresent at every endpoint (OIC) were created to address the Application Layer and throughout the network and myriad of challenges that could limit cloud to protect devices and users’ growth of the IoT, including data and Security Layer private information as data travels device security, interoperability, and Control Layer from things to cloud. Solution provider scalability. fragmentation in many vertical market Intel’s success in this effort is closely segments has resulted in vertical, Management Layer linked with the more than 250 members purpose-built solutions that inhibit of the Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance, one interoperability, thereby impeding the Data of the world’s most recognized and Analytics flow of data across vertical domains. Layer trusted technology ecosystems. These The integration of information members offer software and hardware technology (IT) and operational solutions that are fundamental to Communications and technology (OT) infrastructure is Connectivity Layer building IoT infrastructure. No single vital in order to capture all the data company can do this alone, which and analyze all contextually relevant Figure 2. Layered Architecture Enables is why it is extremely important to information in the company or Secure, End-to-End Solutions enable a large number