Aruba Survey Finds Enterprises Ready to Drive Massive IoT Expansion

The internet of things (IoT) has already grown to immense proportions, driven by everyone from consumers using smart home thermostats to industrial enterprises connecting industrial process control systems. But a new survey of 3,100 IT professionals commissioned by Hewlett Packard Enterprise subsidiary Aruba shows that when it comes to corporate deployment of IoT systems, we haven’t seen anything yet. Many enterprises will engage in “mass adoption” of corporate-focused IoT systems by 2019, the study found. Businesses of all types are finding that the IoT helps them boost workplace productivity and efficiency. Industrial concerns are finding that IoT technology improves monitoring and maintenance. Even retailers see big potential benefits from the IoT. Still, IT professionals are rightfully concerned about the risks associated with investing so heavily in the IoT.

The Aruba survey found there is no firm definition of the “internet of things.” Two-thirds of IT professionals who responded to the survey believe it describes “adding internet connectivity to everyday objects.” Nearly the same number of respondents said it could also define a network of connected objects. More than half of respondents said it could even mean a “platform” on which components are connected.

Enterprises seem convinced that the IoT has a future. In fact, 77 percent of business leaders told Aruba that the IoT is “just beginning” and will ultimately “transform” the business world.

While Aruba believes the IoT will truly reach its stride by 2019, companies are already investing in the trend. In fact, 72 percent of companies have implemented IoT systems in their offices, with 56 percent of responding organizations saying their implementation has centered on smart air conditioning and lighting systems.

In general, adding “smart” technologies to the office has proved to be a really good idea. A whopping 78 percent of IT professionals said they have measured a boost in IT effectiveness after introducing the IoT into the office. Three-quarters of IT professionals say that the IoT has boosted their profitability.

The industrial sector is finding value in the IoT. In fact, 62 percent of companies operating in that sector have adopted it in one form or another. More than six in 10 companies have deployed chemical sensors, and 46 percent have tapped picking systems to address downtime troubles. The IoT has the biggest impact on the sector, however, when it’s used to “monitor and maintain operating infrastructures.”

The survey found that 60 percent of health care organizations are using the internet of things in their operations. Chief among those implementations—64 percent—are patient monitors. According to Aruba, 41 percent of companies have invested in smart X-ray and imaging devices. Overall, 73 percent of health care IT professionals say they’ve cut costs by adopting the IoT.

While just under half of retailers—49 percent—have adopted the internet of things, companies are finding value in the technology. Three in 10 retailers are using location services to deliver personalized offers to shoppers in a store, and 18 percent are using the IoT to control in-store environments. Overall, 81 percent of IT professionals say that their IoT implementations have improved overall customer experiences.

On the government side, the IoT presents a big opportunity for smart cities. Currently, 57 percent of cities are using the technology for security systems, and 32 percent now have connected street lights. And 20 percent of respondents are using connected vehicles. Best of all, 71 percent of IT professionals say the IoT is reducing costs in the government sector.

Aruba concluded its business discussion with a general overview of how the IoT is impacting the enterprise. Fully 82 percent of respondents said that the IoT boosted their business efficiency, and 73 percent said that it improved cost savings. Nearly three-quarters of IT professionals said that the IoT increased profits.

Security is the biggest concern about using the internet of things. A whopping 84 percent of respondents said that they’ve experienced a security breach related to the IoT, and half of IT professionals said external attackers pose the greatest threat to their IoT implementations. The most common breaches reported by companies in the survey include malware (49 percent) and spyware (38 percent).