Designing networks for IoT sensors can be a learning process

In Boulder, Colo., network-connected stoplights can be adjusted to allow emergency vehicles to have free access when needed. The city uses "smart signs" connected to servers that count the cars that go in and out of parking garages and post messages when spots are filling up. And in the public library, staff members can walk up and down aisles with a wand that will tell them if a book is missing or placed in the wrong spot. These are just a few examples of the various Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and other connected devices in Boulder, where electrical, solar and HVAC systems are also tied into IP networks. Designing a wireless network to support these applications was a learning process for the city's IT department, says Benjamin Edelen, a senior system administrator there.