Powered by Microsoft Azure Sphere, Avnet Guardian 100 now provides secure IoT device connectivity

Avnet has announced on Tuesday its new wireless edge module, Avnet Guardian 100, which adds connectivity to existing equipment quickly and securely. Powered by Microsoft Azure Sphere, Avnet Guardian 100 enables enterprise customers to leverage the benefits of IoT to create more efficient operations, achieve greater innovation and create a better customer experience.

In addition to retrofitting devices, Avnet Guardian 100 can be deployed in scenarios where existing connectivity falls short of enterprise-level security requirements. This makes it an ideal fit for any industry using mission-critical, capital-intense equipment, as businesses incorporate IoT solutions to streamline operations and gain critical insights with real-time analytics and AI. 

The new module is the latest addition to Avnet’s end-to-end product development ecosystem to help reduce the time, cost and complexity of IoT implementations.

Plug-and-play modules allow Avnet Guardian 100 to be installed easily, even by onsite employees who are not technical, so that businesses can see value right away. 

Guardian 100 includes Avnet’s Azure Sphere MT3620 module and securely connects to existing equipment via Ethernet or USB providing a secure connection to the internet via dual band Wi-Fi. 

The Azure Sphere device in Guardian, communicates with the cloud, not the device, therefore, protecting equipment from attack, ensuring data is only transmitted between trusted cloud and device communications partners, and ensuring the software of the module and the equipment remains intact and secured. 

Avnet Guardian-enabled devices also receive automatic security updates through the Azure Sphere Security Service. With Avnet Guardian, enterprise customers can more confidently connect existing devices to the cloud, helping them to operate more efficiently, drive innovation, and create a better customer experience.

The module allows enterprises to connect their existing equipment via Ethernet or USB, while dual-band Wi-Fi provides a secure connection to the cloud. Using integrations with Avnet’s secure, cloud-based platform IoTConnect, and a portfolio of pre-built, smart, industry-specific connectivity solutions, innovative IoT solutions can also be quickly implemented to gain real-time data insights.

To protect equipment from attack, Avnet Guardian 100 is designed with Microsoft’s Azure Sphere within it to allow secured direct communication with the cloud. This means that data is only transmitted between trusted cloud and device communications partners, ensuring that the software of the module and the equipment remains intact and secured.

Microsoft’s Azure Sphere unites hardware, software and cloud in one solution that meets the requirements of all seven properties of a highly secured IoT device: hardware root of trust, defense in depth, small trusted computing base, dynamic compartments, certificate-based authentication, failure reporting and renewable security. Delivering these seven properties gives organizations all the benefits of IoT while significantly reducing the risks to end devices that have been connected to the internet—bringing significant peace of mind to any business.

“Businesses that are able to connect their existing equipment in a simple and secure way will realize more immediate value from their IoT investments, across industries from manufacturing to retail to healthcare,” said Lou Lutostanski, vice president of Internet of Things, Avnet. “Avnet Guardian 100 leverages Azure Sphere’s highly secured operating system, ongoing security updates and servicing to allow businesses to move both quickly and confidently, while Avnet’s unique end-to-end IoT product ecosystem helps them realize faster time to value.”


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