The Internet of Things (IoT) may sound like a futuristic or abstract concept, but the technology is actually already very popular, with an estimated 3.9 billion connected devices in use worldwide in 2014.

IoT systems aren’t only reserved for consumer technology. Today, a growing number of businesses are leveraging internet-enabled devices to improve their visibility into various aspects of their company, maximize operations and, in many cases, save money.

Some examples of IoT technologies include HVAC controls, emergency notification systems, asset monitoring solutions and employee/operations monitoring.

And the IoT trend will only continue to grow. According to research by Gartner , there will be about 26 billion IoT devices by the year 2020, with the IoT market forecast to reach more than $4 trillion that year. As a value-added reseller (VAR), now is the time to be considering how the growth of IoT will impact your business.

For starters, IoT devices and IP physical security solutions are going to become increasingly linked. And as the IoT market continues to take off, it is actually driving the adoption of IP access control —which is good news for your physical security business.

How are these two seemingly separate fields impacting one another? In several key ways:

1. By providing the necessary network infrastructure.
As more devices and systems go digital, businesses are expanding their network infrastructure throughout their facilities. This makes incorporating IP access control much easier (and more affordable) than it used to be. Rather than having to run new cable, VARs can leverage the existing Ethernet cabling to add access control devices quickly and easily.

1. The network serves as the backbone for a huge number of IP devices, including access control and video surveillance. For your customers who have already begun to install a robust network infrastructure, IP security should be the next natural investment.

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