Get access to the new Intel® IoT Developer Kit, a complete hardware and software solution that allows developers to create exciting new solutions with the Intel® Galileo and Intel® Edison boards. Visit the Intel® Developer Zone for IoT.
We get asked many times about how to choose the right gateway for a given need. There are a variety of manufacturers that have designs based on several industry verticals. But it still comes down to, how do I choose the right one?
The first thing we suggest is to look at your project and the design characteristics. This alone may narrow down the choices to just one model. If you were working on an automotive related project, there are a few manufacturers that specialize in gateways for transportation or automotive use. So by looking at the design and pairing that against the stated industrial vertical it may be possible to simplify a choice.
Secondly you may look at processing and memory needs. Intel® IoT Gateways are available with a single core up to a quad core processor. Generally, if there are multiple processors both the RAM and the storage flash drive both increase as well. If you do choose a multi-core model, remember to capitalize on the higher performance hardware within your code.
Another factor that is key is your I/O’s. The purpose of a gateway is to connect many sensors to a single device. If you have selected your sensors, research their network communication protocol and preferred connection type and pair that with a potential gateway model. It may also be possible to use an adapter to gain the proper connectivity to your given sensor. Finding a match with your desired connectivity, protocol and gateway hardware helps turn a difficult problem into a far easier issue to solve.
While we have covered several key factors in choosing the right gateway hardware there are dozens of other questions that can be offered to help pinpoint a proper choice. Things such as power constraints, peripheral ports, form factor, mounts, cooling needs and a host of other contemplations can certainly play key roles.
Explore the IoT gateway offerings to compare features and necessities.
