Before we proceed further, let’s have a look at the ways that IoT has impacted our lives and even the businesses that we do. These are some of the impacts of IoT that you need to know of:  

Trucks and other vehicles used for delivery services are fixed and handled by IoT geared telematics options that determine how they collaborate with the entire fleet. This makes the entire delivery easier and better.

Smart logistics have also embraced IoT in the monitoring of their stocks and also shipment of products to their retailers.

AI-enabled machines have also reduced administration costs to companies by measuring the production's performance levels, and speeds through linked sensors that relay data in real-time.

Tons of bar codes of all kinds of products with all of them having unique IoT tracking chips that are kept in stores that are stock managed by experts who uses the complex platforms that merge data derived from smart forklifts and even pellets through the store area.

Defining IoT Gateway

So, what’s an IoT Gateway? Well, IoT Gateway simply gathered tons of information from several linked gadgets and also sensors fixed in all kinds of IoT systems.The gateway is known to pre-process data, aggregate, summarize, and even synchronize the flow across several devices and even communication networks. Doing so limits the information and data required to be sent to the clouds.You can also define a gateway as an access portal that offers an internet connection for IoT devices.At some point, a gateway can simply appear to be a mere router that gives access to linked devices and also protocols.However, you need to know that they are not categorized as routers since they are equipped with a more complex tech than edge-computing.

How IoT Gateways Works

Have you ever wondered how IoT Gateways Works? Just like earlier said, they simply gather tons of data across all the linked devices and even through the linked sensors in any IoT environment.Take for instance the fact that one tiny sensor is capable of finding millions of data, for this reason, you may now understand why it’s very important to pre-process these massive data collected before sending them to clouds, isn’t that so?IoT devices are also capable of downloading data that is kept in the cloud and also transferring the data to all linked devices and vice versa to enable autonomous administration of all gadgets in that environment.From the above statement, it’s right to say that all data that flows from the cloud to the linked devices and vice versa have to pass via the IoT Gateway.Since IoT limits the volume of data that is sent to the clouds, there are other several benefits of doing so based on the fact that one little sensor can find and compile lots of data. These are some of the benefits of limiting data sent to the clouds by the IoT Gateway:

It saves battery life or power in general.

It reduces the response times thus leading to lowered transmission costs.

Differences between IoT Gateways and Routers

There exist several differences distinguishing routers and IoT Gateways. These are some of the major differences that you need to know of:

As opposed to routers, IoT Gateways are capable of integrating data derived from gadgets linked to a certain protocol such as Bluetooth and others.

Industrial IoT Gateways are known for providing better interfaces as compared to what simple routers can provide such as SPI and others.

IoT Gateways also provide customizable application firmware whenever it’s needed to match the Gateway to the needed application.

Are IoT Gateways Secure

For all devices that are connected to the internet, what comes first is always the question of whether they are deemed secure or not. This is because they are open to attacks by viruses and hackers.Since gateways simply provide internet access to gadgets, they regulate how many gadgets can have access thus lowering the risks of attacks.This also makes them the primary area to overrun by hackers or even the only major powerful area of defense of an IoT system.Stronger and complex security is needed for the whole operating system to believe that the entire system is safe and capable of preventing attacks and hacking attempts that may be carried out.