It's a great day for the Internet of Things and those who like to trumpet its expected success. Cisco has announced that it will be purchasing Jasper Technologies, a company that wants to help enterprises connect their commodities to the Internet. The IoT is all about getting devices once thought to be cut off from the Internet onto the network, thereby allowing them to communicate with each other and make your life easier.
This isn't the first time Cisco has shown interest in the IoT. With dwindling sales in its network hardware department, the company is looking to branch out and try to grab hold of some of the money generated by connected devices. Its Internet of Everything initiative looks to bring the world together in an unprecedented way.
What the deal is trying to accomplish
Computerworld has reported that this deal is being valued at $1.4 billion dollars, making this no small purchase. That being said, Cisco is definitely getting a lot of bang for its buck here. As Rob Salvagno, vice president of Cisco's corporate business development, noted, Jasper already has quite a lot of power in the IoT world.
"Jasper represents the largest platform of scale in IoT today with over 3500 enterprise customers and 27 service providers across 100 countries," said Salvagno.
Cisco is clearly confident in Jasper's ability to bring in IoT business, and for good reason. Computerworld noted that Cisco is well versed in the network hardware aspect of this trend, and bringing in Jasper's talent and clients is only going to boost the company's ability to make the IoT profitable.
Why is the IoT so big right now?
While this inquiry certainly means well, the real question is how couldn't the IoT be big right now? To begin, the modern era is all about staying connected. Whether on the bus or in the home, people want their lives to revolve around the Internet. The IoT allows for this on an incredibly massive scale.
As it stands, 84 percent of Americans have access to an Internet connection, according to the Pew Research Center. While this again shows how important the Internet is to the average person, it also shows a massive potential for the IoT. With a vast majority of Americans being familiar with the tech needed to handle something like an Internet-connected fridge, Jasper and Cisco have a huge base to begin developing products for.
Cisco certificate holders likely to benefit
It isn't known what technological know-how will be needed in the next few years of the IoT revolution. That being said, having a Cisco certificate certainly won't hurt. In fact, being able to say you're well versed in Cisco technology could put you on the track to working with the technology Jasper will be developing with the company soon.
More links
- Cisco Training and CertificationsWhether you're new to Cisco or ready to advance your existing Cisco skills, New Horizons Learning Group can help you obtain three levels of Cisco certifications, including entry, associate and professional—all accreditations that are highly valued by employers and networking professionals worldwide.
- Cisco Learning Partner of the YearNew Horizons Learning Group Awarded Cisco's Worldwide Acceleration and Transformation Learning Partner of the Year Award
