The Internet of Things and Open Source (Extended Abstract) - Interoperability and Open-Source Solutions for the Internet of Things - page 1

The Internet of Things and Open Source
(Extended Abstract)

Bill Weinberg ( & )

Black Duck Software, 8 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803, USA
[e-mail]

Abstract. This paper explores divergent visions for the evolution of Internet of
Things (IoT) technology and business models, and the ecosystem that exists
around them. In particular, it examines the role and reach of open source soft-
ware (OSS) in building and sustaining the IoT, from infrastructure to applica-
tions and other value-added device content. Specically, it explores how OSS
can support competing and complementary architectures and meet looming IoT
challenges, including security and privacy on this new digital frontier.

Keywords: IoT Open-source software Evolution Business models

Ecosystem Architecture Challenges

1 Introduction

The build out of the Internet of Things (IoT) is advancing at a tremendous rate, by all
accounts outpacing desktop and mobile computing. By 2020, over 50 billion intelligent
devices will connect to and exchange information over the Internet according to Cisco,
while Gartner projected 7.3 billion tablets, smartphones and PCs with an economic
impact of nearly US$2 trillion. This huge cohort of

“ ”

comprises staggering
diversity, from recognizable computers to infrastructure devices to sensors, light
switches, and thermostats. The impact of the IoT will span the gamut of industries and
applications, including medical, agriculture, manufacturing, consumer electronics,
transportation, and energy. And, like the existing Internet, the emerging IoT will rely
upon and instigate adoption of open source technologies and open standards.

things

2 Competing Visions for IoT

The IoT engenders great excitement and inspires sweeping optimistic statements about
its potential. Monetization of the IoT, especially of the open source software that will
support that build out, will be subject to competing technical and nancial models.

There are two prevalent views of the architecture and make-up of the IoT. We call
them Many Peers and Many Leaves . With Many Peers , the IoT is effectively an extension
of the current connected universe, while Many Leaves envisions an extension of the
M2M (machine to machine) paradigm, with a vast cohort of relatively simple end-point
systems, deployed with deeply embedded real-time operating systems. These two visions