Intelligent CIO North America Issue 02 | Page 82

FINAL WORD

Securing connections in the cloud and across IoT devices

As today ’ s highly competitive and hyperconnected digital marketplace is driving new trends in networking and security , including the rapid adoption of cloud services and IoT devices , Jonathan Nguyen-Duy , Vice President , Global Field CISO Team , Fortinet , explains the importance of securing IoT and cloud connections .

The hyperconnected , global marketplace of the 21st century

has shifted the landscape for networking and security .
Two prevalent trends in this area – cloud adoption and the rise of the Internet of Things ( IoT ) – are seemingly two different components of Digital Transformation , with separate purposes and scope . However , they actually work together , fuelling one another in the digital ecosystem . This symbiotic relationship has important implications when it comes to deploying , using and securing cloud services and the IoT .
As the number of IoT devices grows , so does the amount of data they generate . This is in addition to the massive stores of data that are already being amassed by businesses , governments and even individuals – data that must be collected , processed , mined and stored . Take , for example , the use of sensors in warehouses where inventory can be tracked .
This technology provides managers with essential data on purchasing trends so they are better equipped to manage inventory , especially on fast-selling items . Similar devices in retail locations provide information not just about inventory , but everything from temperatures in refrigeration units to customer purchasing trends .
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