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Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Integration

The Opportunity: A New Paradigm in Real-Time Business Execution

 

Recent innovations in micro-computing and wireless technology have facilitated the creation of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication networks that are revolutionizing the potential of embedded devices for organizations across industry sectors. M2M-enabled “smart devices” present these organizations with incredible opportunities for executing business operations more efficiently and reacting to challenges more effectively.

M2M is most visible in the energy and utilities sector, where the “smart grid” paradigm is becoming ubiquitous. However, it is also increasingly noticeable in other sectors:

  • Connected vehicles in automotive and logistics
  • Heart monitors in healthcare
  • RFID-tagged inventory in retail and manufacturing
 

The Problem: Connecting M2M Components & Stakeholders

 

Effective M2M communication typically requires a number of key components:

  • The smart devices that represent the core of any enterprise’s M2M system
  • The network that carries M2M data to and from the enterprise’s smart devices
  • The network service APIs that enable this communication
  • The applications that allow the enterprise to make effective use of M2M data

Delivery and management of these components requires coordination between multiple stakeholders. This is likely to include organizations both internal and external to the enterprise. Key stakeholders will include:

  • The device operator that manages the smart devices
  • The network operator that connects the smart devices into the enterprise

To make effective use of M2M, the enterprise must deploy a simple, secure and scalable solution for integrating between these diverse components and stakeholders. In particular, this solution must simplify the process of:

  • Securely exposing network services and enterprise applications as APIs
  • Translating enterprise data into lightweight formats suitable for wireless smart devices
 

The Layer 7 Solution: M2M Integration with the API-Ready SOA Gateways

 

Layer 7’s SecureSpan SOA Gateway delivers the key functionality needed to create a central control point for M2M security, integration and data transformation. Benefits include:

  • Secure Connectivity: State-of-the-art cryptography and access management features
  • High Scalability: Optimized message processing for high concurrency and low latency
  • Flexible Integration: Support for data processing across API and enterprise protocols
 

Learn more about the SecureSpan SOA Gateway

 

For a complete M2M solution, the SecureSpan SOA Gateway can be delivered pre-integrated with the following components of the Layer 7 API Management Suite:

  • API Proxy: To securely expose network services and enterprise application functionality as APIs and to manage API service levels
  • API Portal: To manage developers building applications that leverage M2M data and to provide these developers with the information they need to make effective use of APIs
  • OAuth Toolkit: To configure access-control policies that are fit for M2M and able to leverage back-end infrastructure
  • Enterprise Service Manager: To provide a deployment and configuration management platform for the Gateway and to deliver API-oriented monitoring and management
 

M2M Gateway Solution