https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Cloud


IoT

Microsoft Reveals Secure End-to-End IoT Solution from Edge to Cloud

  • Written by Jeffrey Schwartz
  • April 17, 2018
Microsoft kicked off the annual RSA Conference with the introduction of Azure Sphere, which the company claims will bring turnkey security to IoT with a secure OS embedded onto a microcontroller to power edge devices with connectivity to the cloud.

Microsoft president Brad Smith Monday revealed an ambitious plan to offer “an end-to-end IoT solution” that the company claims will provide complete security from the edge to the cloud.

Azure Sphere will consist of embedded processors for the edge based on a new secure OS from Microsoft, embedded hardware and solution from an emerging ecosystem of partners and cloud-security services.

Smith introduced Azure Sphere at a news conference held during the first day of the annual RSA Conference, taking place this week in San Francisco. Azure Sphere promises to give partners a new and lower-cost means of creating a new generation of solutions that use smart and connected endpoints with improved threat protection, management and overall security.

The development of Azure Sphere is the culmination of a high-priority research effort kicked off in 2015 by Microsoft Research, which Smith described as among the most unique initiatives undertaken by Microsoft in its 43-year history.

Smith, who is also the company’s chief legal officer and the public face of the company’s security and privacy stance, isn’t typically the front-man for technology launches, nor his he known for hyperbole, making his characterization of Azure Sphere notable. “It goes where no company has gone before,” said Smith. 

Microsoft’s Brad Smith at RSA Conference, April 16, 2018

Indeed, the new edge OS for Azure Sphere consists of a custom Linux kernel distribution, a move that appears to shed more light on last month’s major reorganization that broke up the Windows and Devices group into the new Cloud + AI Platform, led by Scott Guthrie, and Devices and Experiences run by Rajesh Jha, culminating with the departure of Windows chief Terry Myerson. A week later, Microsoft announced its plan to invest $5 billion in IoT technology, centered around bringing more intelligence and security to the edge.

Azure Sphere aims to address that with three components:

  • Azure Sphere Microcontroller Units (MCUs): New microprocessors the size of a fingernail will incorporate real-time processing with Microsoft’s security communications subsystem, called “Pluton.”
  • Azure Sphere OS: This new Linux kernel will provide a defense-in-depth OS with multiple layers of security, which Microsoft claims is not available in current real-time operating systems (RTOSes), using security technology it has offered in Windows and a “highly-secured” platform for IoT.
  • Azure Sphere Security Service: A complete service that monitors each Azure Sphere device using certificate-based authentication to provide trusted communications among devices and cloud services that provides threat detection, failure reports and support for device patching.

“Each Azure Sphere chip will include our Microsoft Pluton security subsystem, run the Azure Sphere OS, and connect to the Azure Sphere Security Service for simple and secure updates, failure reporting and authentication,” said Galen Hunt, Microsoft’s managing director for Azure Sphere, in a blog. The first Azure Sphere-certified chip will come from Taiwan-based MediaTek. The Wi-Fi connected MT3620 controller will provide connectivity from smart devices to the new Azure Sphere service and partner solutions.

“What we are delivering together will be the foundation for a new generation of secure intelligent-edge devices and solutions,” Hunt noted.

“MediaTek is a good partner to have,” said Laura DiDio, principal analyst with ITIC. “They will provide a Wi-Fi controller, the processor will run Microsoft’s Linux-based IoT OS and you’ve now got a highly secure, connected device at a decent price point.”

Other partnerships are in the works, Smith said, noting that 9 billion MCUs are expected to ship this year. One of the reasons Windows 10 IoT (and Windows Embedded before it) hasn’t gained the gained the momentum to other Linux-based IoT embedded OSes, was the overhead and cost. To offer a competitive solution, Microsoft is offering the MCUs free to chip manufacturers, as Microsoft moves to jump-start its new ecosystem.

“The researchers at Microsoft Research have made advances to strengthen the power of these chips and to put that power to work to protect people’s security around the world,” Smith said.

Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst and founder of Moor Insights & Technology, said that smarter and more secure MCUs are necessary, but providing an edge-to-cloud turnkey offering is technically complex.

“End-to-end security is hard to do but is needed to do to broad scale IoT right,” Moorhead said. “To maximize the degree of success, Microsoft must show a road map into the future and show details on how this isn’t a lock-in.”

Smith said claimed the system will be extensible.

“If a customer wants to continue to integrate these MCU-based devices with AWS or the Google Cloud or cloud services from IBM or Oracle or Alibaba or literally anyone else, they can do that,” he said.

Microsoft said it plans to release software developer kits for Azure Sphere supported by its Visual Studio tools next quarter with volume shipments of MCUs expected to arrive later in the year.

Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Cloud Mobility & Wireless Security Strategy

Most Recent


  • Sophos tip
    Microsoft Global Channel Chief Rodney Clark Makes Sudden Exit
    The unexpected departure takes place just one year after Clark took over the position.
  • Managed Security Services
    Palo Alto Networks, Deloitte Offering Managed Security Services
    Deloitte Cyber and Palo Alto Networks announced their strategic alliance last July.
  • Mergers and Acquisitions, MA
    11:11 Systems Snags Key Managed Service and Cloud Infrastructure Assets
    The two acquisitions add value to 11:11's cloud, connectivity and security platform and portfolio
  • North America
    Kaspersky Channel Vet Joins Cyware to Lead its North America Channel
    Cyware partners can expect improvements in the company's partner program.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Cloud Phone
    AT&T to Offer Up to 1 Million Customers Cisco Webex Calling
  • edge computing
    'Challenging Results' for MSPs in Channel Futures' Exclusive Quarterly Survey
  • Cloud Computing
    'No Drama'? Microsoft Status as SAP-Preferred Cloud Partner Fades
  • White House
    White House Urges Companies to Take Ransomware Attacks More Seriously

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Europe

June 14, 2022 - June 15, 2022

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Galleries

View all

Unprecedented Times Impacting Cybersecurity Channel Partners

May 16, 2022

8 Channel People Making Waves This Week at Avant, Cisco, Databricks, More

May 13, 2022

Talent Shortage Ripple Effects Continue to Create Headaches for Partners

May 13, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

Build Customers for Life with CX and Lifecycle Selling

May 16, 2022

Voice Analytics Are a Must-Have as Companies Evolve COVID-Rushed Tech

May 12, 2022

Top 5 Trends and Challenges Channel Partners Are Facing in 2022

May 9, 2022

Webinars

View all

Simplifying SaaS Security for MSPs

April 27, 2022

How to Supercharge The Network to Support Your IT Superhero Moves

May 3, 2022

The 2022 MSP Challenge: Scale Service Delivery Despite the Talent Gap

April 21, 2022

White Papers

View all

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

The AT&T Cybersecurity Incident Response Toolkit

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, ThreatLocker on Unlocking Partner Potential

Agents Share ‘Secrets,’ Industry Opportunity

May 11, 2022

Vonage Addresses Potential Partner Opportunity via Acquisition by Ericsson

May 5, 2022

Lumen Technologies ‘Built for Growth and Scale’

May 4, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@PaloAltoNtwks, @Deloitte expand alliance to offer #managedsecurity services. dlvr.it/SQVFrp https://t.co/7VFlXLFIEK

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@1111systems has snagged certain key managed service and cloud infrastructure assets through two key acquisitions.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@kaspersky vet to lead @CywareCo's North America channel. #cybersecurity dlvr.it/SQV5S3 https://t.co/2n9CZ4H6Ke

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

How to build and provide a great customer experience. #CX #ChannelPartners @IngramMicroInc dlvr.it/SQTrfh https://t.co/RsAA2Lliek

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

[email protected] global channel chief Rodney Clark made the surprise announcement he is leaving his position just one ye… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@SAP touts growth of Rise with SAP at #SAPSapphireOrlando dlvr.it/SQTCs5 https://t.co/J2LrQrYlNQ

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

#CPExpo #cybersecurity roundtable discusses unprecedented times for channel chiefs, partners. @Sophos, @Fortinet,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 16, 2022
ChannelFutures

Being #cybersecurity proactive about the threat landscape makes a better #cloudcomputing strategy, says… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 16, 2022

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X