The large-scale digitization in the post covid world has largely impacted the frequency at which organizations irrespective of their size and industrial sector opt for cloud applications to carry out business activities. But, while there are several cloud platforms to choose from, the reputation of Microsoft Azure has evolved into one of the most secure and reliable cloud services.
Azure Services have been constantly attempting to develop new products and services that can aid the process of performing hybrid cloud workloads. One such product is Windows 10 IoT. In addition to this, the Windows 10 IoT Core Services has gained some limelight and is best described as a complete subscription of cloud services that also provides long-term support for secured smart devices that run on Windows 10 IoT Core.
Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing and Features
Windows 10 IoT Core Services: Meaning and its uses
The features within the Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing structure include a new subscription that provides the essential services needed to commercialize a Windows 10 IoT Core device. The service allows the user to control device updates through the use of the Device Update Center. In addition to this, the users are provided with the rights of commercializing the devices with the Device Health Attestation and up to 10years of access to support on Windows 10 IoT Core Long Term Servicing Channel.
The uses of the Windows 10 IoT Core Services can be enumerated in the following manner:-
- Commercializing the projects: The Windows 10 IoT Core Services are a small development of the Windows IoT Core investment made by Microsoft. This is a cloud services subscription over the IoT applications that enables the users to commercialize with the help of Device Health Attestation and provides access to 10 years of support on the long term servicing channel of Windows 10 IoT Core.
- Keeping devices stable and secure: The 10 years of access to the long term servicing channel on Windows 10 IoT Core provides the monthly updates, the quality of which maintains device security without the feature updates. This in turn minimizes the changes to the base operating system which could have an impact on the device stability. The new release is a part of Microsoft’s tendency to offer new releases every two to three years which are each supported with a 10-year support lifecycle.
- Managing device updates: The Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing structure allows the user access to features that help in creating, customizing and controlling device updates. All these functions are performed on the same content distribution network that is used by millions of clients to manage Windows updates. The updated packages include updates of operating system updates, device drivers and OEM-specific applications.
- Evaluating device security: The Device Health Attestation is capable of evaluating the trustworthiness of a device at boot. This Azure service is capable of evaluating the device health and can be connected to a device management system like the Azure IoT Device Management.
Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing structure: A Discussion
One of the essential features included within the Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing is the long-term OS support provided and the additional services given to manage the device updates pandemic access to device health tests. The pricing structure can be explained in the following manner:-
| Price per device | |
| Fixed price per device per month | $0.30/month |
An explanation of cloud-based Device Health Attestation:
The term Device Health Attestation or DHA enables the user enterprises and OEMs to enhance the security of the organizational assets with the use of the hardware attested security. This in turn is useful in evaluating the trustworthiness of a device during the boot time itself which is essential for continuing a trusted IoT system. But, it must be well understood that a device itself cannot attest to its trustworthiness. Thus, it has to be completed by an external system or entity for instance the Device Health Attestation cloud service. The service is designed to thoroughly evaluate the health of the device along with it being combined with a device management system, such as the Azure IoT Device Management.
Finally, based on the reports produced by the Device Health Attestation, the device management system can take action in correcting the device which may include the re-imaging of the device, denying network access, or creating a service ticket. Thus, in simple words, the Device Health Attestation is a very beneficial feature of the Windows 10IoT Core Services which helps in determining the health of the devices that are later to be commercialized.
Device Update features for devices with OEM: An understanding
The device update feature within the Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing structure provides the user organization with the necessary control over the devices. This allows the user to create, customize and publish device updates in regular intervals. These updates are distributed through the same content distribution network known as Windows update, which is used by innumerable windows customers around the globe. Updates can be applied to the operating system as well as the OEM-specific applications and files.
The prerequisites to using the Device Update Center are as follows:-
- Before creating an update, a baseline image needs to be created.
- Registration in the Windows Hardware Dev Center
- Presence in the Windows Embedded Compact
Devices with security updates: A long-term servicing perspective
The security features in the Windows 10 IoT Core Service pricing range raise the standards of privacy and security by opting for the hardware system of evaluation. The evaluation procedure of a device can be completed through a security service. This security service is then combined with a device management system like the Azure IoT Device Management. The final process results in generating reports and taking corrective action, for instance reimaging a device, denying access to a network, or creaking a service ticket.
Uses of Device Health Attestation:
The uses of the Device Health Attestation can be classified as follows:-
- Integration – The Device Health Attestation is performed after integration with Windows 10 Mobile Device Management framework and in alliance with the Open Mobile Alliance Standards.
- Support to Devices: The Device Health Attestation is known to support devices that have a provisioned Trusted Module Platform in a hidden format.
- Increasing the security standards: The organizations opting for the Device Health Attestation process in a way raise the bar of device security and privacy by opting for hardware monitored and attested security.
The Device Health Attestation can also be run as a server role within the user organization’s business activities. The process can be termed as one of the essential steps in the process of commercialization of devices.
List of top companies that opted for Windows 10 IoT Core Services:
The Windows 10 IoT Core has been adopted in various fields of business that can be categorized in the following manner:-
- Computer Software
- Computer Hardware
- Information Technology and Services
- Construction
- Medical Devices
- Hospital and Health care
- Financial Services
- Electrical Manufacturing
- Manufacturing and
- Retail
Approximately 93 companies across the globe are known to use Windows 10 IoT Core. Most of these companies are originally operating in the United States and working in the Computer Software Industry. Some of the most reputable companies that chose to use Windows 10 IoT Core can be listed in the following manner:-
- Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C.
- Kier Group PLC
- Dell Technologies Inc
EPC Group Consultation: An Azure perspective
The EPC Group is one of the most trusted Azure consulting partners available in the market at present. The company has more than two decades of experience in creating training programs for organizations that intend to migrate to the cloud platform. The EPC Group has a team of experts that help their customers to understand and migrate to the cloud with ease. With customized training programs that suit the individual organizational goals of the customers, the experts help them in navigating through the cloud migration process with ease.
Apart from this, the EPC Group is a gold certificate partner for Microsoft which implies that this company is the best choice for consultation partner in terms of opting for Azure Services in the Microsoft Cloud. Apart from managing the migration of database services, the experts of the company also ensure that each of their customers can take full advantage of the varied advantages of the Azure Cloud including its highly scalable cloud storage.
Conclusion:
The features included in the Windows 10 IoT Core Services Pricing structure provide the advantages of the Windows 10 IoT Core as the latter is a version of Windows optimized for smaller devices. If a business organization intends to run a variety of windows applications, then the Windows 10 IoT Core is a perfect choice. In simple words, the Windows 10 IoT Core is a suitable option for a developer that consists of a huge catalog of windows applications under usage.
Along with this, the enhanced user experience of the product provides additional advantages to the user in the form of built-in accessibility, natural user interface, and best-in-class graphics support which comes together to enhance the end-user experience.
