Two trends currently dominating the tech world are artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT). The emergence of artificial intelligence of things (AIoT), a lethal combination of AI and IoT, is anticipated to redefine the future of connectivity, storage and compute.

American tech giant Microsoft has reportedly inked a strategic collaboration with Innodisk, a leading developer of cloud storage and embedded technology based in Taiwan.

The companies plan to establish a new AIoT standard for storage and device management and target emerging smart markets in recognized fields such as healthcare, transportation, and surveillance.

Sources familiar with the matter reported that Shirley Strachan, Microsoft’s APAC GM of IoT Device Experience, and Innodisk president Randy Chien made the announcement at an exclusive Taipei event.

Innodisk is consistently exploring collaboration opportunities to actualize AIoT and realize AI at the edge, noted Chien, adding that partnering with a global technology leader like Microsoft will enable the company to tackle some of the trickiest challenges of IoT deployment such as efficient device management and minimizing downtime.

The InnoAGE™ SSD with integrated Azure Sphere

Evidently, Innodisks’s exclusive InnoAGE SSD powered by Microsoft’s MCU, Azure Sphere, is an innovative flash device that provides independent out-of-band connectivity. The compact Azure Sphere facilitates a secure connection to the cloud and comes with a range of security measures to protect user data and access.

Also read: Microsoft and Nokia reportedly in talks to reunite on IoT, AI, cloud

Innodisk’s expertise in hardware and firmware design further reinforces security at the edge via encryption and versatile data removal options. Apparently, this is the world’s first solid state drive (SSD) with integrated Azure Sphere.

Challenges with IoT implementation

After having implemented the digital infrastructure, IoT system integrators evidently have to invest an additional 80% of upfront costs on average for subsequent management and maintenance.

IoT devices can generally be monitored and operated remotely. However, once they crash, these devices need to be physically analyzed, fix and recovered. This is the major reason which ultimately leads to increased downtime and higher maintenance costs.

How does the InnoAGE SSD tackle maintenance issues?

An out-of-band connection provides an additional pathway to access the system. The InnoAGE SSD uses standard in-band solutions to connect, but apparently also offers out-of-band access via WiFi or ethernet.

Seemingly, this indicates that in case where the OS is inaccessible or the entire system crashes, the SSD is fully equipped to run system recovery without depending on physical access.
 

Source credits: https://www.afp.com/en/news/1315/innodisk-and-microsoft-announce-strategic-alliance-pushing-new-out-band-standard-secure-aiot-device-management-201911200060431