Which Communication Protocol is the best for IoT?

The Internet of Things is a massive ecosystem of connected devices that has been growing all over the world for the last decade or two. IoT implementations span over many industries, including automotive, manufacturing, transportation, medicine, security systems, and many others. IoT systems are made of objects that are enabled to collect, process, and send data to other connected objects, applications, or servers over the internet.

The IoT system can only work and transfer information online only when devices are safely connected to a network.

How does that happen? With the help of a special language that allows these connected objects to talk with each other. This language consists of different IoT standards and protocols. Note that general protocols we use for tablets, smartphones, and personal computers often don’t suit IoT-powered solutions due to factors such as power consumption, range, or bandwidth.

That’s why so many IoT network protocols have been developed so far and are still evolving. So which communication protocol is the best for IoT? Read on to find out.

LwM2M

IoT developers can choose from many great connectivity options. One of them is Lightweight M2M, a communication protocol designed specifically for remote device management and telemetry within the IoT and other M2M applications. It reduces power and data consumption, which makes it a perfect match for devices with limited processing and storage capabilities. Unlike other IoT protocols, the architecture of this protocol supports four logical interfaces which standardize device management and telemetry.

MQTT

Standing for Message Queue Telemetry Transport, MQTT is a lightweight protocol for sending simple data flows from sensors to applications, as well as middleware. It works on top of TCP/IP and contains three components: a subscriber, publisher, and broker. The publisher is responsible for collecting data and sending it to subscribers. The broker tests publishers and subscribers for authorization and security. The protocol is perfect for small, low-memory, and low-power devices.

DDS

DDS (Data Distribution Service) is an IoT standard for high-performance, real-time, and scalable machine-to-machine communication. It’s based on two layers:

Data-Centric Publish-Subscribe (DCPS) – it delivers the information to subscribers,

Data-Local Reconstruction Layer (DLRL) – it provides an interface to DCPS functionalities.

DDS will work for low-footprint devices and those connected to the cloud.

These protocols are popular among IoT implementations today and are bound to evolve together with the technology into the future.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/tech-and-gadgets/which-communication-protocol-is-the-best-for-iot/

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Safe and Smart Ways to Give Employee Awards

Giving awards for exceptional work might seem like a cheap and effective way to motivate employees, and it is — in some cases. When you hand out awards, you are drawing on your employees’ extrinsic motivation, encouraging them to work harder and produce better results so they can earn a salary bonus, a prize or something else. Unlike intrinsic motivation, which springs from a worker’s own passions or ambitions, extrinsic motivation comes from outside sources, and over time, it can become less effective.

Thus, you can and should use awards to motivate your workforce, but you need to be smart about when and how you hand the awards out. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you give out awards in the smartest, safest way for your business.

Don’t Make Rankings Matter

It might seem like everyone loves a friendly competition, but competitions become much less friendly when they occur in the workplace, where livelihoods seem to be at stake. Ideally, your business shouldn’t rank employees in any way, shape or form; doing so breeds hostility amongst staff, which impedes cooperation and productivity and leads to an unpleasant work environment that chases away top talent. However, if you do create small competitions now and then, you shouldn’t allow the rankings to affect an employee’s standing within the company. Any rewards for winning should not be tied to salary or title; there should be a clear line between participation in such friendly competitions and participation in the organization.

Do Make Award Criteria Clear

If you are going to host competitions or give awards based on a formal program, you need to make the requirements explicitly clear. It might be wise to form a committee of business leaders and subordinates to develop the regulations to ensure that the program is reasonable and fair. No employees should be excluded from participation in the program, and all employees should be equally educated on the criteria and benefits. You should continue to monitor the program to ensure that participants are happy and that it does not cause undue strife within your organization.

Don’t Make Awards a Regular Event

Even when you have an ongoing program, you shouldn’t be handing out awards every week. Doing so dulls the impact of the award; it makes employees less keen to pursue the reward and thus makes the program effectively meaningless. To understand this phenomenon, you should look deeper into the differences between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Over time, motivation that comes from outside sources becomes less valuable, and employees won’t work as hard. This isn’t to say that you should avoid using extrinsic motivators entirely, but you should be sparing with your award-giving to ensure it carries a meaningful punch.

Do Celebrate Significant Accomplishments

Your employees should be working hard even if they aren’t motivated by competitions or programs, and you should celebrate their efforts on a regular basis. Studies show that workplace morale receives a significant boost during celebrations, when employees feel noticed and appreciated. You can up the impact of celebrations by hosting them for the completion of major projects as opposed to birthdays or holidays which are unconnected to employee toil. When an accomplishment has a positive effect on the business, you might offer a plaque award to everyone involved to drive home your gratitude and support.

Do Respect Workers Needs and Wants

Every workplace is different, so you can’t expect to read a blog and suddenly have the perfect solution for treating your workforce right. While these are excellent guidelines, you should perfect them for your business by talking to your employees and learning exactly what they need and want from their employer. For example, you might find that some of your workers prefer not to be recognized publicly but instead are motivated by small gestures of appreciation, like an email, a handshake or a discreet gift. By going against their wishes and making a public declaration, you could reduce their efforts in the future, harming their career and your business.

As simple as gifts and awards might seem, in the already competitive and stressful environment of the workplace, gifts and awards can be extremely dangerous. Instead of using rewards to whip your staff into a frenzy, you should be careful with how you dole out awards. Then, workers will understand their profound meaning and appreciate them all the more.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/at-work/safe-and-smart-ways-to-give-employee-awards/

Dog Training Tips for Busy Business People

Fast and furious lifestyles seem to be the norm nowadays – whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or a salesperson. However, with the ever-increasing demands of the modern workplace, business people seem to have it the most challenging. 

How Can a Pet Fit into Such a Busy Place? 

Yes, owning a dog would become another responsibility you have to tackle, but a highly rewarding one. It’s possible to train your pet and be a good owner even if you lead a hectic lifestyle.

You won’t need a training professional, either. Bond with your dog and learn to work as a team by following these simple pieces of advice. 

Step 1: Establish a Routine

As a busy person, you might already understand the importance of an effective daily routine. Besides including care in your schedule, remember that dogs need a system, too. Try to keep consistent feeding, exercise, and bonding times with your dog.

When it comes to training, regular sessions are vital. If you follow a schedule, you will put your pet in more ease, which will make them less restless – thus more comfortable to train, too. 

Step 2: Training

Training, if efficient, is much less of an obligation than it at first seems. Two to three sessions a week of 10-15 minutes each are enough if you go about your training in an informed way. 

Basic Obedience Commands 

Unless you bought an already-trained pet, you must teach it the necessary commands at the very beginning of the training. These commands set the foundation for whatever you do next and ensure your walks are a source of happiness, not stress. 

Basic commands include ‘sit’, ‘come’, ‘stay’, and ‘heel’. These must be enforced. Then, you can use one of two ways to train your dog – a reward system or a collar conditioning. 

Reward System 

The reward system relies on positive reinforcement. Many pet owners prefer this method, but remember, it’s slower than collar conditioning. Using this method, you provide continuous reinforcement. Each time your dog behaves well or obeys a cue you gave, it gets a reward. 

Afterwards, you implement an intermittent reward system. In other words, you gradually reduce the rewards for established positive behaviors.

Determine the type and size of your treats, depending on the size of the task your dog is learning. The most common rewards include toys, walks, cuddles, and food. 

Collar Conditioning

Collar conditioning is a handy technique with the foundation in negative reinforcement.

Dog training collars, known as electronic collars as well, help you control your dog. However, if you choose this method, go with the best dog training collar to ensure safety for your pet. 

Collar condition is straightforward. You give your puppy a weak shock to condition it against undesirable actions. The pet recognizes the collar as a part of their everyday routine, and the shocks as commands.

If this sounds inhumane, keep in mind that the shocks are simply an annoyance. You give them a negative sensation they associate with poor behavior, not pain.

The Bottom Line

Finally, be sure you want a dog before you start considering training methods to avoid mistreating and ignoring your future pet. If you are sure you want a puppy, get one and train it to make your dog-owning experience much more pleasant.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/business/dog-training-tips-for-busy-business-people/

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The Digital Age Requires Special Instructions: Ways To Protect Yourself Online

Everyone needs protection, especially from online threats. Not having any security measures in place is asking for trouble. We know you aren’t all tech-savvy people who can encrypt all your data like a pro.

However, there are a number of simple ways to protect yourself without needing to be tech-savvy. Hackers will always be out there trying to steal your information, but you can secure your data against these attacks.

Here are a few examples of how:

Get a VPN

A VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. The tool allows you to browse the web without having to worry about the usual risks. Your personal data will be safe from hackers and other third-parties because it is routed through an encrypted tunnel.

Not only this, but your real IP address is also masked in the process for an extra layer of protection. Therefore, always connect to a VPN before going online – it is one of the best ways to prevent your privacy and security from being compromised. 

But always opt for a No-Logs VPN to keep your data truly private. PureVPN, a Hong Kong- based provider, is one such example. It recently received a No-Log certification from a leading Certified Information Systems Auditor, Altius IT.

Do a DNS Leak Test

When you use a VPN, make sure it doesn’t leak your DNS queries. If so, your actual IP address and identity gets leaked to the outside world, defeating the whole purpose of connecting to a VPN in the first place.

The good news is that there are ways to detect and prevent DNS leaks from happening. You can do this by running a DNS leak test to detect any potential leaks and take the necessary steps to repair them.

Update Your Systems

Whenever an update is available, make sure you do it immediately. There are often bugs or holes in your software and operating system that hackers can exploit to gain access to your machine. 

Updates usually fix these security issues before they become serious. They not only fix what’s old but also bring new features to play around with.

Know How to Spot Scams

Unfortunately, there will always be someone trying to steal your money. It is up to you to be able to spot these types of scams before they can hurt you. These scams can even include hacking someone you know and using their accounts to gain your trust and reveal sensitive information. So, always be on the lookout!

To Sum It All Up

You must take the necessary steps to protect yourself online. If you don’t, you are opening yourself up to unnecessary risks and threats, which could result in you falling victim to identity threat, fraud, etc.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/house-and-home/the-digital-age-requires-special-instructions-ways-to-protect-yourself-online/

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