IoT Device Management Services and The Role of Cellular Modules

Device Management (DM) is a core service of an IoT solution, supporting remote software and firmware updates, device status, restarts, and security functions such as certificate and key management. At the center of these operations is a software agent that resides on the device processor and responds to a DM application in the cloud.

This ABI Research paper examines the technologies and supplier relationships behind IoT device management, including FIDO Device Onboard (FDO), Lightweight Machine-to-Machine (LwM2M), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). It also clarifies the cellular module's role in DM operations, where the module primarily transfers DM messages while relying on DM services for its own firmware updates.

Topics Covered

• Device Management Technologies: How software agents, device processors, operating systems, security keys, and certificates support DM operations
• Supplier Ecosystems: The roles of device owners, OEMs, DM suppliers, processor suppliers, and other stakeholders
• FIDO Device Onboard: Using device identities and certificates to enable late binding to a DM supplier
• LwM2M: Standardizing device management and Firmware Over-the-Air updates for low-compute devices
• Public Key Infrastructure: Applying certificate-authenticated encryption to device management and security operations
• Cellular Module Operations: How cellular modules transfer DM commands and receive firmware updates through DM services

Download the paper to understand how IoT device management works across the device lifecycle and where cellular modules fit within the technology, security, and supplier ecosystem.