Getting started in Bangalore

In this blog, we will share things you need to know to get your life started in Bangalore.

We all are emotionally attached to the city we grow up in. Be it a small village or a big metro city, our home town always has a special place in our heart. But there comes a time when you have got to move out of your comfort zone and make it big on your own. Getting started in a big city like Bangalore can be daunting especially when you don’t have many friends or people you know. In circumstances like these it is important for you to remember why you are here and what motivates you to continue your journey in your new city. If you don’t give up, sooner or later you will realise that this big crazy city will gradually become a close part of your life and you will feel like it’s your own.

Our attempt is to make this blog your go-to guide to starting your journey in Bangalore. This blog will cover some interesting and informational bits you need to know to become a little familiar with this totally unfamiliar city.

Finding your ‘Home’ in Bangalore

Bangalore has emerged as a major IT hub of India and everyone from fresh college pass outs to experienced IT professionals come to work in Bangalore. When you land in a new city your first concern is to find yourself a place to stay. A city that is so new to you, finding a place you would eventually call your home is a difficult task. In a city like Bangalore, where there are people from all over the country coming to work, finding a place isn’t a big deal but it can be overwhelming sometimes when you leave all the comforts of your home and need to set up everything from scratch. 

1. When you are looking for a place, it is advisable to select a place that is closer to a bus stop and has some basic shopping areas and departmental stores nearby. Generally living standard in Bangalore is pretty high, especially the cost of living and accommodation. So beware to keep your expenses in check.

2. There are several options one can consider when looking for a place to live. Working men and women hostels, paying guest, 1BHK - 2BHK flats are readily available.

3. There are also websites where you don’t have to pay the brokerage and you can choose the place you like online and schedule a visit. 

Here are a few links that can be helpful to you when you are looking for a place to stay.

Best areas to stay in Bangalore: http://www.servicesutra.com/blog/10-best-places-to-live-in-bangalore/

Flats & Flatmates: www.facebook.com/groups/FlatsandFlatmatesBangaloreChapter/

Nest away: https://www.nestaway.com/

Paying Guest: http://www.payingguestinbangalore.com/

Hostels: http://www.hostelsinbangalore.com

Bangalore for the foodies

Being a metropolitan city, Bangalore has a lot to offer in terms of food. From street food to dining in fancy restaurants, Bangalore has it all. Among other things, don’t forget to try the authentic Kannad dishes. You will be surprised how much you will end up liking them. If you feel too lazy then just order in. It’s always a good idea to eat some delicious food in the comfort of your home.

1.The diversity of the cuisine available in Bangalore is reflective of the social and economic diversity of Bangalore. Roadside vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian, Mughlai, international cuisine everything is readily available.

2. Udupi restaurants, are very popular and serve predominantly vegetarian cuisine. Bangalore can also be called a foodie's paradise because of its vast varieties of foods and edibles with a touch of Bangalore's uniqueness and tradition.

3. Some of the renowned traditional Bangalore vegetarian restaurants are MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Room), Central Tiffin Room to name a few. One of the popular places in South Bangalore is Brahmin's Coffee Bar, where people go at 6:00 am after their morning walks.

4. Bangalore also has amazing fine dining and specialized restaurants that cover various cuisines of the world. The city is also known to have really good Italian and new-age continental food in places like Sunny's on Lavelle Road and Olive Beach.

5. There are various five-star restaurants in the city also that serve some very authentic and delicious food. Some of these include Blue Ginger, Raj Sheraton Windsor Manor, Zen etc.

Here are a few links that can guide you to some amazing food joints.

http://traveltriangle.com/blog/street-food-in-bangalore/

https://www.holidify.com/blog/street-food-in-bangalore/

http://grabhouse.com/urbancocktail/places-for-street-food-in-bangalore-that-you-cannot-resist/

http://grabhouse.com/urbancocktail/awesome-places-authentic-kannada-food-bangalore/

Hello Weekend!

After a gruelling week at work with all the inductions, team meetings and tasks, the weekend has finally arrived and you just can’t wait to have some time to yourself. You want to stroll around the city taking it all in. Bangalore has lots to offer in terms of leisure activities. It is one of the best ways to intermingle with the city folk and get to know your new city better.

1. From adventure sports to beautiful parks, Bangalore has it all. You could go around the crowded shopping arcades or enjoy some solace in the gorgeous temples.

2. Bangalore caters to people of varied interests. You could also take up certain classes for art, dance, theatre, swimming etc. pertaining to your interest. There are some world class courses available in Bangalore and you could use them to hone your skills.

3. If you are interested in events then you are in luck. There are many musical events, stand-up comedy shows, classical dance shows etc. that keep happening in Bangalore and you could totally have a great time attending any of those.

4. If you want to explore more than just the city you could also travel around Bangalore over the weekend and visit close by places such as Mysore, Coorg, Waynad, Chikmagalur, Munnar, Mangalore, Pondicherry.. All just an overnight journey away. 

Here are a few links that might be helpful in making your weekend simply awesome.

Travel destinations around Bangalore: https://www.trawell.in/bangalore/200kms

Outdoor Activities: https://www.thrillophilia.com/things-to-do-in-bangalore

Parks http://stylesatlife.com/articles/parks-in-bangalore/

Temples https://www.karnataka.com/bangalore/top-10-must-visit-temples-in-bangalore/

Shop http://www.happytrips.com/bangalore/travel-guide/10-places-to-shop-till-you-drop-in-bangalore/gs24477104.cms

Hobby http://www.hobbylobbyblr.in/

Events Calendar https://allevents.in/bangalore

Change is always frightening and challenging but it can also be a lot of fun. It depends on you to use this opportunity to turn it in your favour and make the best of it. Give yourself enough time to actually get adjusted to your new job and your new city. But most importantly give yourself the biggest congratulations because you made it. The truth about moving somewhere new by yourself is that this “new life” will soon become “your life”, your now and your home.

We hope this blog post is useful to all the newbies in Bangalore. We welcome any reviews, comments or suggestions pertaining to this discussion.

 

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IoT Platforms

~ Third post of a three part series.

In our first post, we focussed on introducing IoT, the reasons for its prevalence and its application across industries. In the second post, we looked at the new technology requirements and architectures required for IoT solutions. In this post, we shall look at the IoT Platforms in depth and how to choose the right platform to build an IoT Solution.

McKinsey estimates that “40 percent of the total value that can be unlocked with the Internet of Things requires different IoT systems to work together”. In its most simple form, an IoT platform is just about enabling connectivity between objects. In a more sophisticated form, the platform consists of a variety of important building blocks such as the following -

1.      CONNECTIVITY & NORMALIZATION: Every IoT platform starts with a connectivity layer. It has the function of bringing different protocols and different data formats into one “software” interface. This is necessary in order to ensure all devices can be interacted with and data is read correctly.

2.      DEVICE MANAGEMENT: The device management module of an IoT platform ensures the connected objects are working properly and its software and applications are updated and running.

3.      DATABASE: Data storage is a central piece in an IoT platform. The management of device data brings the requirements for databases to a new level. An IoT platform therefore usually comes with a cloud based database solution that is distributed across different sensor nodes.

4.      PROCESSING & ACTION MANAGEMENT: The data that is captured in the connectivity & normalization module and the data which is stored in the database gets brought to life in this part of the IoT platform. A rule-based event-action-trigger allows performance of “smart” actions based on specific sensor data.

5.      ANALYTICS: Many IoT use cases go beyond action-management and require complex analytics to get the most out of the IoT data-stream.

6.      DATA VISUALIZATION: Visualization comes in the form of line-, stacked-, or pie charts, 2D- or even 3D-models. The visualization dashboard that is available to the manager of the IoT platform is often also included in the prototyping tools that an advanced IoT platform provides.

7.      ADDITIONAL TOOLS: Advanced IoT platforms often offer an additional set of tools for the developer and the manager of the IoT solution.

8.      EXTERNAL INTERFACES: IoT enabled businesses are rarely built standalone and on a green field. In established companies it is crucial that the Internet of Things integrates with existing ERP systems, management tools, manufacturing execution systems and the rest of the wider IT-ecosystem.

We estimate that there are more than three hundred IoT platforms today and the number is growing almost every week However, not every platform is the same. There are three major lenses to differentiate IoT platforms: The technological depth, the segment-focus and the implementation/customization approach.

1.      Technological Depth: Developing a deeply integrated IoT platform with all of the mentioned modules and integration into a number of IoT standards requires several years of focused work. Therefore different levels of technology depth for IoT platforms exist.

2.      The Segment Focus: The retailer has fundamentally different requirements than for a company seeking to manage sensor data from industrial machinery. Major differences include different device and protocol support, different kind of required analytics and visualization, integration into different external interfaces, as well as a different kind of security infrastructure. Therefore, some IoT platform companies are focusing on specific end-user segments such as Smart Home or Smart City while only very few offer the full bandwidth from the B2C maker scene to industrial settings.

3.    Integration approach: The third major differentiator of IoT platforms is the integration approach of the IoT platform company. Some platforms come as they are while others offer extensive implementation support and the option to white-label the platform.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLATFORM TO BUILD AT IOT SOLUTION

The IoT platform is a central element for anyone deciding to build an IoT enabled solution. We can either buy the existing one or make it. When using an existing IoT platform there are many IoT platforms out there. It is a daunting task to select the right one. While choosing the right IoT platform, one can consider the following assessment points to help in the selection of an IoT platform with the goal to make the IoT solution as successful as possible.

The IoT will be the subject of endless analysis and hype as its influence expands. But to succeed, a methodical approach that breaks down what is necessary, desirable, and superfluous can streamline the approach and make the structure of the ideal platform easier to see. We need secure, scalable, robust, easy-to-integrate IoT platforms. As with any technology decision, it is imperative to have a full understanding of business and technical constraints and requirements and feed those into your evaluation of IoT providers.

Hope our three part series on IoT has given you a deeper understanding on the subject matter. For those who are interested in knowing more about our IoT expertise and IoT Solution, kindly contact sales@mindlancetech.com

We welcome any reviews, comments or suggestions pertaining to this discussion.

IoT Architecture

~ Second post of a three part series. 

In our previous post, we focussed on introducing IoT, the reasons for its prevalence and its application across industries. In this post, we will look at the new technology requirements and architectures required for IoT solutions. This post will also identify the three stacks of software required by any IoT solution.

IoT is an umbrella term that includes multiple different categories such as wireless sensor/actuator networks, internet-connected wearables, low power embedded systems, RFID enabled tracking, use of mobile phones to interact with the real world (e.g. sensing), devices that connect via Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones to the Internet, smart homes, connected cars and many more. The result is that no single architecture will suit all these areas and the requirements each area brings. However, a modular scalable architecture that supports adding or subtracting capabilities, as well as supporting many requirements across a wide variety of these use cases is inherently useful and valuable. It provides a starting point for architects looking to create IoT solutions as well as a strong basis for further development.

IoT Architecture: Devices, Gateways, and IoT Platforms

A typical IoT solution is characterized by many devices (i.e. things) that may use some form of gateway to communicate through a network to an enterprise back-end server that is running an IoT platform that helps integrate the IoT information into the existing enterprise. The roles of the devices, gateways, and cloud platform are well defined, and each of them provides specific features and functionality required by any robust IoT solution.

Understanding the IoT Devices

Sensors and actuators are devices, which help in interacting with the physical environment. Any device that detects events or changes in its environment and then provides a corresponding output can be classified as a sensor. The data collected by the sensors has to be stored and processed intelligently in order to derive useful inferences from it. For IoT purposes, sensors are often integrated circuits, since the small size and low cost of these chips make them particularly useful. Commonly used IoT sensors include accelerometers, thermometers, gyroscopes, light sensors, MEMS sensors, and magnetometers, but particular industries or markets (such as healthcare) may have specialized sensors as well. Sensors can transform an ordinary “thing” into part of the Internet of Things. As more of varieties of tiny, inexpensive sensors are readily available, the range of connected things has expanded across business and consumer applications.

Stack for Constrained Devices » Sensors and Actuators

The key features of the software stack running on a device may include :

1. IoT Operating System – many devices will run with ‘bare metal’, but some will have embedded or real-time operating systems that are particularly suited for small constrained devices, and that can provide IoT-specific capabilities.

2. Hardware Abstraction – a software layer that enables access to the hardware features of the MCU, such as flash memory, GPIOs, serial interfaces, etc.

3. Communication Support – drivers and protocols allowing to connect the device to a wired or wireless protocol like Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Thread, CAN bus, MQTT, CoAP, etc., and enabling device communication.

4. Remote Management – the ability to remotely control the device to upgrade its firmware or to monitor its battery level.

Understanding IoT Gateways

Internet of Things (IoT) gateway is a device which serves as the connection point between IoT devices and the cloud. An IoT gateway is an important aspect of building an efficient, secure, and easy-to-maintain system. This gateway can be a hardware appliance or virtual. An IoT gateway works by receiving data from IoT sensors, which it can then send onwards to the cloud; it also receives information from the cloud which then goes to the device itself to help it perform necessary functions, such as regulating environmental changes and detecting possible issues with functioning. All information moving from an IoT device to the cloud, or vice versa, goes through the connected IoT gateway. By managing this connection, the gateway can perform security tasks, help manage devices and translate protocols.

One benefit of an IoT gateway is added security for the IoT network and data. Because the gateway protects information moving in both directions, it protects data moving to the cloud from leaks, as well as prevents unauthorized control of IoT devices from outside parties. IoT gateways can also be used to convert non-cloud connected legacy devices to the internet for brownfield development. By connecting a gateway to a device's sensors, the data can be analysed or transported directly by the gateway, even though the device itself would be unable to do so.

The key features of a gateway software stack include

1. Operating System – typically a general purpose operating system such as Linux.

2. Application Container or Runtime Environment – IoT gateways will often have the ability to run application code, and to allow the applications to be dynamically updated. For example, a gateway may have support for Java, Python, or Node.js.

3. Communication and Connectivity – IoT gateways need to support different connectivity protocols to connect with different devices (e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, ZigBee). IoT gateways also need to connect to different types of networks (e.g. Ethernet, cellular, Wi-Fi, satellite, etc.…) and ensure the reliability, security, and confidentiality of the communications.

4. Data Management & Messaging – local persistence to support network latency, offline mode, and real-time analytics at the edge, as well as the ability to forward device data in a consistent manner to an IoT Platform.

5. Remote Management – the ability to remotely provision, configure, startup/shutdown gateways as well as the applications running on the gateways.

Understanding IoT Platforms

The IoT Cloud Platform represents the software infrastructure and services required to enable an IoT solution. An IoT Cloud Platform typically operates on a cloud infrastructure (e.g. OpenShift, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Cloud Foundry) or inside an enterprise data center and is expected to scale both horizontally, to support the large number of devices connected, as well as vertically to address the variety of IoT solutions. The IoT Cloud Platform will facilitate the interoperability of the IoT solution with existing enterprise applications and other IoT solutions. The main purpose of IoT platforms is to reduce the complexities for IoT developers, service providers, and implementers. IoT platforms therefore enable the IoT developer to focus on the differentiated and unique value the application provides and outsource common, industry-wide features and functionality. This obviously reduces time to market, needed investment and expertise and risk.

The core features of an IoT Cloud Platform include :

1. Connectivity and Message Routing – IoT platforms need to be able to interact with very large numbers of devices and gateways using different protocols and data formats, but then normalize it to allow for easy integration into the rest of the enterprise.

2. Device Management and Device Registry – a central registry to identify the devices/gateways running in an IoT solution and the ability to provision new software updates and manage the devices.

3. Data Management and Storage – a scalable data store that supports the volume and variety of IoT data. Software stack for gateways Software stack for IoT Cloud Platforms 7 Copyright © 2016 The Eclipse Foundation. All Rights Reserved IoT Architectures

4. Event Management, Analytics & UI – scalable event processing capabilities, ability to consolidate and analyze data, and to create reports, graphs, and dashboards.

5. Application Enablement – ability to create reports, graphs, dashboards, … and to use API for application integration.

The Internet of Things is a paradigm where everyday objects can be equipped with identifying, sensing, networking and processing capabilities that will allow them to communicate with one another and with other devices and services over the Internet to accomplish some objective. Ultimately, IoT devices will be ubiquitous, context-aware and will enable ambient intelligence. Any IoT Solution requires substantial amount of technology in the form of software, hardware, and networking. The IoT space is evolving rapidly and we expect that the associated technologies will also evolve in sync.