IoT Asia, Singapore, & Berlin, Germany. April 22, 2014 — Bosch Software Innovations has released a new version of its software suite. Version 1.5 is specifically designed for delivering projects in the Internet of Things (IoT) and for enterprise applications including business process management (BPM) and business rules management (BRM).
A unified networking approach is used by Bosch to link things, users, companies, and partners, both on an IT level and in terms of business processes. This provides the basis for many different industry solutions and applications, ranging from predictive maintenance for Industry 4.0 and the provision of a networked charging infrastructure for e-mobility services, to the interconnection of decentralised power generation units to form a virtual power plant.
The software suite is equally suitable for implementing traditional enterprise applications such as fleet or insurance management. The Bosch Software Innovations suite has a modular architecture and offers adaptable components for device management (M2M), BPM and BRM.
“People share cars, generate their own energy for their homes, and use their smartphones to control central heating and domestic appliances – and these are just some of the many areas in which the Internet of Things opens up entirely new possibilities,” says Dr. Stefan Ferber, who is responsible for product and portfolio strategy at Bosch Software Innovations GmbH. “As a result, the products and services we use every day at home and at work are becoming increasingly interlinked, even those that were previously completely unrelated. This paves the way to new business models, but also places new demands on the companies that operate in these sectors, and on the design of the networked devices. Our new software suite enables device manufacturers and service providers to meet this challenge.”
The solution is based on the principle of ‘modelling instead of programming’, hence its model-based architecture. No programming skills are required thanks to a graphical user interface, which enables end users in the various specialist departments to create and activate their own processes, as well as to administer access rights and play a role in the set-up process. An added advantage of the software suite, according to Bosch, is that it can be easily integrated in existing IT infrastructures.
Modular suite provides greater efficiency and flexibility
The software suite consists of a Common Environment (CE) and separate components for M2M device management, BPM and BRM. As Ferber points out: “Given the unprecedented speed at which the business world is changing, new requirements often mean that, instead of having to optimise just a few processes, the whole set of existing workflows needs to be reworked. The model-based approach employed in our software suite gives companies the necessary flexibility to respond to each case as required.”
The separate components within the suite are said to interoperate in a co-ordinated manner, to enable companies to deploy the solution across the full scope of their operations.
Management and networking of devices, processes, and business rules
The M2M component of the software suite provides device management functions that allow devices to be integrated in business processes on the basis of predefined rules. This creates a platform for interconnecting distributed things and devices in order to create effective functions for the Internet of Things.
The BPM component reportedly allows users to formulate precisely fitting and flexible processes, which in turn will allow you to accelerate your operations and increase your productivity. It also makes it possible to integrate existing business processes in a wide range of heterogeneous IT infrastructures – an important factor in the successful implementation of IoT and business scenarios.
The BRM component is designed to help you organise your business logic by grouping decision paths and business rules. Its processing functions for business rules cover all process elements from creation to administration, optimisation, and maintenance.
Additional product components necessary for the smooth integration of M2M, BPM, and BRM are included in the Common Environment (CE). These include security features, the administration of access rules, and authentication and authorisation checks.