Think of?approaching your home or car and seeing your door automatically unlock once it senses your smartwatch or key fob ?- or checking your smartphone to see if the laundry machines in your apartment complex are currently being used. These are some examples of the potential of the Internet of Things.
What is the Internet of Things?
If you’ve not read the Wikipedia article 🙂 the Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of ?smart? devices that are embedded with connectivity and sensors that allow them to collect and transfer data to other connected devices. Common devices that we think about when we contemplate networked “computers” are PCs, notebooks, smartphones and tablets, but there are countless other connected ?smart? devices that are a part of the Internet of Things and more are being created every day. These include things we think of, and things we don’t, but the message is that with today’s technology, almost anything can be “node” in the IoT if enabled by the right technology. I’ve recently installed two “connected” smoke alarms in my house; they are a part of the IoT. ?My smartphone receives alarms and “all-ok” messages in real-time, and has access to historical observations.?The implications are vast.
The Internet of Things supports device-to-device communication between nodes?(think of a “personal area network” where a smart watch communicates with a phone for updates) and also supports device-to-aggregator communications (think of sensors collecting data from coastal buoys and updating a database used in weather prediction). It uses both private networks and public networks (the “Cloud”) to securely carry data between participating nodes. Then,?applications (typically Cloud-based), allow you to access and transfer that data, giving you the flexibility to transform that data into information?anytime and anywhere, including on your campus. So, smart devices can communicate with other smart devices or can collect data, either over restricted networks or as encrypted “calls” over the public Internet.
How can the Internet of Things affect your college?
It Can Improve Energy Efficiency
Many colleges and universities?are burdened by limited fiscal resources, so enormous energy consumption mixed with inefficient energy use can often be taxing, cutting into funds that could be spent teaching students more effectively. Large institutions are are often beginning to leverage “facilities networks” to interconnect and control HVAC systems, but often the deployments are limited and not strategic.
However, the Internet of Things includes a rapidly growing?variety of devices and methods that can help significantly reduce energy costs. Institutions?are looking for ways to implement energy conservation programs that include building ubiquitous automation and accurate energy monitoring devices, allowing schools to pay only for what they need instead of having to cool or heat entire buildings. Pervasive technology enabled by the IoT is moving this from specialized systems to more open and interoperable (and affordable!) environments.
It Can Improve Quality of Education
The Internet of Things can play a major role in the education process, especially in regards to the quality of education that is provided to a student. It can have a pedagogical role (improved data or access to sensors and devices) or support role by expanding range of devices for content delivery and interaction possibilities.
In a support role, we have seen that in the last decade, online courses have allowed students to study and earn degrees on the internet while allowing them to retain the flexibility to fulfill important daily obligations (like taking care of their family or working a full-time job). Ubiquitous access to computing resources and networks, including the “connected supercomputer” you carry in your pocket, enables qualitatively improved tools and access to information. With smart displays (there’s the IoT again!), collaborative workspaces leveraging projected or “cast” content allow richly productive group sessions wherever students gather.?Over time, an enormous amount of data,?will?be collected and analyzed with the help of smart devices and systems, allowing universities to target student performance and to offer and help students find classes that would better suit their interests and learning styles.
It Will Require Attention to Security
The Internet of Things can be a bit overwhelming with possibilities…both good and bad. Ubiquitous connectivity to all kinds of devices is good, but that means that devices and systems have to learn to live in a world that is potentially hostile at each turn. They can’t rely on a “firewall” to protect them from things in the outside world, as they are inthe outside world. If the firewall surrounds everything, then it surely will have bad actors inside any security perimeter. One part of this answer is de-perimeterization. This means that each device and system needs to be “hardened” to not trust, without verification, messages that it gets from another device or system. ?Too many devices and systems in the early Internet of Things are far too trusting about their neighbors. Security must mature quickly for the IoT to reach its potential.
The Internet of Things isn?t the only technology advancement that could help your institution.
The NIC, N2N Service?s cloud based integration platform, is another way your college or university?can use cutting-edge technology to reach greater heights of success and offer students a better educational experience. Leveraging the same advances in Cloud-based systems that support the myriad devices and deep pools of data from the IoT, the NIC is there to help you bring together the administrative and academic?data necessary to support an effective institution.
If you?re interested in learning about how the NIC can benefit your institution, contact N2N Services today.
If you?ve been looking for all-in-one software solutions to streamline operations at your school, you might have encountered the term ?Enterprise Service Bus? (or ?ESB?).
We know that there are a lot of acronyms and potentially confusing terms out there when it comes to technology, and ESB is one of them. So, we thought we?d walk you through what exactly an Enterprise Service Bus is, what purpose it serves, and how it can make a huge difference for your college or university.
The definition of an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
In the simplest terms, an Enterprise Service Bus is an architecture that allows many different applications to run together as a part of one infrastructure. It integrates these different applications, manages the access to them, and presents them to the user in a single interface. An ESB is typically part of an integration suite and can offer many valuable tools that other frameworks do not.
To make this abstract concept a bit easier to understand, think about the word ?bus? for a second. In the tech world, it refers to a transmission path where signals are dropped off and picked up ? kind of like an actual bus! So, you can think of the Enterprise Service Bus as a ?bus? through which all of your institution’s information passes.
The ESB?s Purpose in the N2N Integration Cloud (NIC)
An ESB is a core component of the N2N Integration Cloud (NIC) because it serves as the architecture that allows the NIC to integrate all of a school?s applications in one central hub. It actually provides the interface that allows you to connect your institution’s applications together ? parametrizable with no coding by you required!
Why This Matters For Your College or University
While you can probably immediately think of some benefits of the application integration offered by the NIC, there are a few that might not be so obvious. Here are some ways the NIC can help your college:
It allows your students to use their mobile phones to check grades, view financial aid status, and more (NIC for Mobile).
It cuts down on manual labor needs by eliminating tedious data entry tasks.
It helps keep costs low (the NIC is cloud-based and does not require you to purchase extra hardware).
It provides you with the ability to analyze data more effectively (melding data from multiple applications). That way, you have the resources you need to make good business decisions and give each student a personalized educational experience.
The NIC was specifically designed with higher education in mind, so you can feel confident knowing that it can help you achieve your goals. It?s also quick to deploy, so you can start benefitting from its functionality right away.
So, there you have it ? an explanation of what an Enterprise Service Bus is and why it is an important part of the NIC. If you have questions or are interested in learning more about how the NIC can help your college or university, we?d love to chat ? contact us today!
When cloud computing burst onto the scene, it took a while for businesses to see the possibilities. What exactly was this new technology? Was it safe? Was it practical? Was it cost-effective?
As people began to use and understand the cloud, they saw that the answer to all their questions was a resounding yes, that using cloud applications was no different from using locally installed applications. The cloud allowed businesses to easily store and access data and applications using any device, without having to deal with expensive hardware purchases. This boosted productivity and efficiency, while driving down costs.
Here at N2N Services, we give schools access to all the benefits of the cloud via our N2N Integration Cloud.
But that?s not all that NIC does.
Evolving technology allows us to view cloud-based systems as consolidated platforms rather than single applications. This has led us to the concept of the iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service.?). And that?s exactly what the N2N Integration Cloud is.
Organizations use iPaaS as a central hub to integrate every single one of the applications they use ? whether cloud-based or on-premise.
So for example, if an institution has a legacy system in place on-premises, and also uses a few cloud-based SaaS applications from different companies – and needs the flexibility to add even more applications in future ? iPaaS creates a single, simple platform through which data can pass between any and all of those systems. But even better, iPaaS acts as a translator for each application, fully integrating all of them so that communication between them is seamless.
This is what NIC does for schools.
Using iPaaS means there is no hardware to install in many cases, except as may be required for some types of system connections. It means that there is no on-premises middleware to manage and support between applications or between school and system. Our “concierge approach,” leveraging the iPaaS means we provide application integration as a service, with no lengthy training required for implementation. It simply and elegantly integrates all application data into one central system.
One ?dashboard in the NIC allows administrators to view and monitor transactions that pass through the system?to ensure that information input into any one application will instantly be shared with all other participating applications as well, so that all systems are always up-to-date and coordinated.
All this sharing and communication does not, however, translate into less data security. On the contrary, an iPaaS allows for central management and monitoring of data transfers, helping to ensure compliance with all regulations.
What it does translate into is the ability to reallocate human resources to tasks more important than simple data transactions, or as we like to say, “transaction herding.” No longer will employees need to update several different systems with new data, or search through several different applications to find information. iPaaS automates those tedious tasks, freeing up resources for other projects.
The N2N Integration Cloud is an iPaaS offering designed specifically for educational institutions. We here at N2N Services understand the unique needs of educational institutions, and have created a system that applies the latest in enterprise technology to the world of higher education. Contact us today for more information on how the N2N Integration Cloud works, and how it can benefit your school, your faculty and staff, and your students.
Think back to the last time your home computer crashed. Wasn?t it frustrating to lose so much work, and so many memories, all in an instant? So many files and photos, gone ? at least until your computer was repaired. If you were working on something urgent or important, that was just too bad.? And then there was the hassle of waiting for its repair, the cost of fixing it?and maybe the heartbreak of finding out that some of those files really were gone for good.
In fact, your last computer crash may have led you to move all your files to the cloud, so that you wouldn?t ever have to go through that nightmare again.
Organizations across the country are doing the exact same thing.
Businesses are moving to the cloud in droves, and schools and universities are following suit. And it?s not just data security that?s driving this move. There are many other reasons why moving to the cloud is a good idea for any organization ? but especially for educational institutions. Here are just a few:
1. Cost Savings: The cloud stores files and data, yes ? but it can hold software and applications, as well. This means that educational technology that once had to be purchased outright, and then installed and implemented on-premise, can now be easily accessed via the cloud, and paid for on a subscription basis with only minimal infrastructure needing to be installed on-site. The cost savings are enormous, as is the added convenience.
2. Expanded Accessibility: Gone are the days when you had to use a school computer to access school software. With the cloud, faculty and administration can access work-related applications and data from their home computers, their tablets, or even their smart phones. This boosts productivity and allows employees to get work done wherever and whenever they need to.
3. Room for Growth: Any growth or changes in your institution are easy to accommodate in the cloud. Subscriptions for storage space or software usage can be ramped up or scaled back as needed, without having to buy anything new or waste school resources on something that?s not being used. This flexibility is a huge benefit in today?s agile business environment.
4. Automatic Updates: In order to ensure that your school?s systems are always at their best, frequent software updates are required. When an in-house IT team is responsible for every single one, resources can be strained ? and some updates might even be missed, leaving your technology open to problems. Storing your school?s applications in the cloud means that every single update necessary for each and every one of your programs will be automatically and instantly applied, no matter what.
A growing number of schools and universities are finding that moving to the cloud is saving them money, time, and hassles, while increasing their productivity and flexibility. That?s why everyone is moving to the cloud.
And that?s also why the N2N Integration Cloud is such a powerful tool for educational institutions. By providing schools with the ability to consolidate all their legacy systems into one cloud-based hub, the NIC allows them all the business benefits of the cloud, created especially with the needs of schools in mind. ?Contact us today to learn more about what the N2N Integration Cloud can do for your school.
Every passing day seems to bring word of another data breach. A million identities lost here, ten million there…it almost seems like institutional and corporate entities have opened the doors to their vaults and data is pouring out. This month brings the news that the Home Depot payment card breach involved 56 million accounts, second only to the 2007 TJ Maxx breach involving 90 million accounts.
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