The IoT Glossary:
Smart Connectivity, Simply Explained

You don’t have to be a software engineer to understand the Internet of Things. Below you’ll find simple, non-technical explanations of key IoT concepts you need to know.

All Categories Connectivity Cellular Networks Protocols SIMs Identification Numbers IoT Security Cellular IoT Industries
Feature image for A+Comprehensive+Guide+to+IoT+Protocols
Protocols

A Comprehensive Guide to IoT Protocols

03.11.2022 When network entities like servers, gateways, routers, applications, and connected devices interact, protocols give them a shared language. A protocol is a set of rules both network entities must have in common in order to communicate. It governs what their interactions look like, what values and attributes can be transmitted, how they’re received and processed, what security methods will be used, and more.

Read more
Feature image for IPSec+vs.+OpenVPN%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+Difference%3F

IPSec vs. OpenVPN: What’s the Difference?

16.08.2022 – Protocols

The more distributed your devices or employees are, and the more valuable your data, the more critical it is that your data transmissions are encrypted and secure. You want your devices and users to have access to network resources without leaving the door open to hackers.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+OpenVPN%3F

What Is OpenVPN?

08.07.2022 – Protocols

With OpenVPN, you can remotely access a private network from anywhere. emnify leverages OpenVPN to help IoT manufacturers remotely access devices and securely transport data from the device.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+Transport+Layer+Security+%28TLS%29%3F

What Is Transport Layer Security (TLS)?

30.03.2022 – Protocols

As the name implies, Transport Layer Security is a protocol that gets implemented on the transport layer of a network to encrypt data transmitted via HTTP, FTP, XMPP, etc. TLS is typically implemented in conjunction with protocols like Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which prioritizes accuracy over speed. However, in some cases it can be used with connection less protocols like User Datagram Protocol (UDP) - then using a slight variant called DTLS.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+Open+Charge+Point+Protocol+%28OCPP%29%3F

What Is Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)?

21.03.2022 – Protocols

Why use OCPP? OCCP defines how charge stations and central management systems transmit commands like start and stop power, as well as diagnostic data such as how much power is being consumed or if there are any errors. By standardizing these transmissions, OCCP ensures that charge stations and central management systems from different suppliers can communicate.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+IPsec%3F+Internet+Protocol+Security+Explained

What Is IPsec? Internet Protocol Security Explained

22.04.2021 – Protocols

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is one of the key layers of protocols developers use to secure the exchange of data through a network. (If you wish to know more about protocols and IoT check out our Comprehensive Guide to IoT Protocols.)

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+USSD%3F+Unstructured+Supplementary+Service+Data

What Is USSD? Unstructured Supplementary Service Data

22.04.2021 – Protocols

USSD allows you to send small data packages without a data connection and without incurring SMS costs. It’s typically used for sending short requests and commands, and these messages can only contain a maximum of 182 characters (16 bits of data). USSD doesn’t support Multimedia Messages (MMS) like audio, video, or images.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+Transmission+Control+Protocol+%28TCP%29%3F

What Is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)?

22.12.2020 – Protocols

Unlike User Datagram Protocol (UDP)—another standard that applications use to exchange data—TCP is designed for accuracy, not speed. In data transport, data packets can sometimes arrive out of order or get lost. TCP numbers each packet to ensure that every piece reaches its destination and can be rearranged if needed. When packets don’t arrive within a specified timeframe, Transmission Control Protocol requests re-transmission of the lost data.

Read more
Feature image for What+Is+User+Datagram+Protocol+%28UDP%29%3F

What Is User Datagram Protocol (UDP)?

22.12.2020 – Protocols

When higher-level protocols need to transmit data quickly, they rely on UDP to package and distribute that data over the Internet Protocol (IP). (If you wish to know more about protocols and IoT check out our Comprehensive Guide to IoT Protocols.)

Read more
1 2
›

Popular Articles

24.02.2023 – IoT Security

IoT Security: Risks, Examples, and Solutions | IoT Glossary
03.11.2022 – Protocols

A Comprehensive Guide to IoT Protocols | IoT Glossary
22.08.2022 – SIMs

eSIM vs. Nano SIM: What’s the Difference? | IoT Glossary
10.12.2020 – Identification Numbers

What is an IMEI number? | IoT Glossary
07.11.2023 – Cellular Networks

5G vs. 5GE: What’s the Difference? | IoT Glossary