Customers who are looking to deploy IoT may often feel frustrated with the sheer volume of solutions available on the market, but that has little cohesion between them.

With this, Netshield has developed a cohesive range of IoT solutions that traverse both hardware and software. It creates the glue that brings IoT together and provides customers with the insights from their implementations that they crave.

Within its expanding IoT portfolio, Netshield develops and maintains three core solutions, firstly a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) agnostic IoT and IIoT Cloud Platform that includes device management.

Secondly, it provides customers with a range of device managed intelligent point of presence IoT sensor convergence gateways (iPoP-Gateways). And lastly, its range of home-grown sensors and its integration of third party sensors for holistic sensors is ideal for data collection.

“In 2019 IDC reported that Africa’s spend on IoT technologies was set to top $1.9 billion (R28 billion) by the end of the year, a clear indication that its use is becoming pervasive across industry,” states Inus Dreckmeyr, CEO at Netshield South Africa. “But are users getting the most from their implementations? In our experience, this isn’t always the case. The challenge exists with ensuring interoperability between sensors, internal systems and cloud environments.

“We have developed a full IoT range that traces through the full-service delivery. You can’t just drop in sensors and have an IoT environment. You need gateways, management platforms and analytics to bring together a full picture of the situation.”

The Netshield solutions include a range of locally developed hardware and software, as well as third-party solutions. They adhere to global IoT standards and are vendor and system agnostic, ensuring a customer can integrate them into their environment with no disruption to the business.

Notably, the Netshield IoT Cloud Platform includes IoT device management and is updated continuously to ensure it seamlessly integrates with all CSP providers.

The platform is developed on Docker containers and Kubernetes and allows for seamless migration between various CSPs and on-premise “cloud” installation environments.

Netshield’s intelligent Point of Presence IoT Sensor Convergence Gateways include Intelligent GSM, Wireless and Wired ethernet IoT/Cloud convergence iPoP-gateways. They support user-definable multilevel triggered and scalable reporting intervals.

They will track and monitor event instances sent by multiple sensors across a host of applications, including but not limited to power, temperature, humidity, flooding, door access, energy metering of cabinet consumption, and seismic activity or vibrations.

As there is an expansive range of iPoP-gateways supported by Netshield, clients can select the gateway best suited to its needs.

Netshield IoT services include;

  • IoT and application cloud software including UI dashboards
  • Hardware and device firmware research and development
  • URS drafting, generation and finalisation of user requirement specifications
  • Gateway, sensor and solution customisation as per client requirements
  • Integration of third-party devices and sensors into customised point of presence services and application solutions
  • Intelligent process definitions and implementation on convergence gateways
  • Stream analytics and database management
  • User interface development with limited analytics
  • Onward alerting services through email, Telegram and Slack text messaging
  • Call centre automation

“We support our customers through research, development and system on-boarding. Our knowledge of IoT is not just limited to one aspect (such as sensors) but embraces an overall view of a customer’s requirements. Working with some of Africa’s largest mining, engineering and manufacturing companies has given us an intimate understanding of how IoT should work and how to get the best out of your IoT implementations. We bring this knowledge into every solution we design, build and sell,” ends Dreckmeyr.