Introduction

IoT platforms such as Open Kitchen® and SiteSage® by Powerhouse Dynamics provide tremendous insights into operations and equipment assets.

These systems extract data directly from equipment or installed sensors and rely on harnessing “Cloud” technology such as “Big Data,” “Artificial Intelligence,” and specialized analytics to deliver significant insights and value. To harness the technology made available by this type of platform, a reliable, robust, secure connection to the Internet is required.

Without a reliable connection, it is impossible to provide accurate and reliable reporting of critical safety and operational issues or forewarning of equipment failures that will impact revenue and potentially food quality.

Security related to IoT systems is a key concern. There has been a lot of publicity in recent years surrounding security breaches at many large, high-profile corporations. It is logical to be concerned about whether connected equipment can potentially be used to gain access to corporate networks to facilitate the theft of sensitive data or to disrupt operations.

This paper explores options for minimizing security risks while leveraging the benefits of IoT platforms.