Bangalore,  July 6 2015:  The Internet of Things looms large  on the horizon of any technology-drive enterprise  today  -- with  the 'things' poised to  explode from  just over 3 billion today to 8.6 billion by 2020.  But before companies  can kickstart their IoT solutions, in many cases they need to  update or beef up their  Internet gateways.
Dell has stepped in with solutions to fill the void  -- and has created new product division that consolidates its end-to-end IoT products.
At the  CommmunicAsia  show in Singapore last month, Dell unveiled  its  Gateway solutions -- the most recent addition to Dell’s IoT solution stack. 
Gateways are small, wireless or connected devices that collect, help secure and process sensor data at the edge of a network.  Equipped with processing power, they provide customers with flexibility to perform analytics at the edge, reducing latency for data-based decisions, such as managing energy consumption or triggering a call for proactive equipment maintenance. This reduces the time and cost associated with transferring data to the cloud or data centre.
The Dell IoT Gateway  enables developing IoT applications and compatible with multiple operating systems including Wind River Linux, Ubuntu ( see illustration) and Microsoft Windows IoT.  It is small in footrprint, featuring an Intel processor with two cores to drive a wide range of IoT applications including building and industrial automation.It mounts on walls, desks, or other easily accessible areas of the building. 
Said Glen Burrows, Area Vice President, Dell OEM Solutions, Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), is a special telephonic briefing for IndiaTechOnline: “I see enterprises seeking tools that enable them to programme, document and test software applications for IoT products. The new gateway solution will empower our partners and customers to do more for their IoT environment. With the IoT market maturing in Asia Pacific,  we  would like to enhance this already disruptive space while devising practical applications for it in the workplace, at home and on the go."
Joe Maloney, General Manager, Telecom and Global Accounts, Dell OEM Solutions pointed out interoperability  was the challenge that network managers faced  when putting together  such gateways -- particularly  when it came to Software Defined Networks(SDN) and  Network Function Virtualization (NFV).  Such challenges  needed to be addressed  if the combo of  capital  cost plus operational cost  was to be restricted to reasonable levels he added.
With regard to NFV, Arpit Joshipura, vice president, Strategy and Product Management,  Dell Networking,  added: The basis of  the solution  is the Dell NFV platform which we introduced last October. Our NFV platform maps directly to the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) NFV architecture, with the focus being on the bottom half of the architectural stack, namely the Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) block and the Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM) block. The NFVI block comprises our server, storage and networking portfolios converged together, while the VIM block comprises element management and fabric management software.
For an Indian case study of  IoT in action, with Dell support,  see our  Image of the Day:  From Cow to Cloud