Cisco-IBM

IoT powerhouses Cisco and IBM have formed a strategic technology alliance that combines IBM's Watson IoT technology with Cisco's edge analytics capabilities to allow a deeper understanding of critical data at the network edge. The vendors are targeting companies that operate in remote environments or at the network edge.

The goal is to offer IoT solutions that deliver business insight without always needing connectivity, according to Mike Flannagan, vice president and general manager for Cisco's Data & Analytics Group. 

"Solution providers now have the ability to offer solutions that deliver business insight without always needing connectivity to the cloud or without relying on transmitting 100 percent of their data to the cloud at a very high transmission cost," Flannagan said in an interview with CRN.