RCIE Course Outline and Objectives

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a game changer in the world of consumer products, wearable goods, all modes of automobiles, industrial and utility components, sensors, and other objects, by being combined with internet connectivity and powerful data analytic capabilities that transforms the way we work and live. IoT has emerged as a catalyst for technical, social, and economic significance. The IoT impact on the Internet and economy are enormous, with an estimated 100 billion connected IoT devices and a global economic impact of more than $11 trillion by 2025.

At the same time, however, the IoT raises significant challenges that could stand in the way of realizing its potential benefits. Attention-grabbing headlines about the hacking of Internet-connected devices, surveillance concerns, and privacy fears already have captured public imagination. However, technical challenges remain; new policy, legal and development challenges are emerging.

Module 1: IoT Concepts

This module gives a detailed explanation about WHAT IoT means.
You get to understand the scenarios where network connectivity and computing capability allows various devices to exchange data with minimal human intervention.
The module also gives a peek into the massive impact of IoT in every aspect of our daily lives.
In today’s fast changing world, IoT’s impact extends to generic technical development where smartphones and tablets propel miniaturization of components.
The course users will be introduced to the various terms and definitions applicable in the IoT world.
IoT and digitization are inseparable and this module explains how real-world objects can be “transformed” into smart objects.
The module lists out the various IoT applications such as smart devices that make smart homes, wearable devices installed with sensors, automated cars, industrial IoT, smart cities, etc.
Understanding the IoT framework is crucial in the growth of IoT and this module informs us about the three technological areas that are in focus for IoT.
Any revolution is bound to encounter a horde of challenges and the IoT revolution is no different!
This module describes the various challenges IoT could face on the go to becoming the future of the way organizations and our lives function.
The IoT statistics explains the size of the IoT market worldwide based on which companies can adopt the appropriate strategies for creating IoT opportunities.
This module also gives an exhaustive list of examples of how IoT helps in the growth of economies and how companies are embracing the technological revolution.

Module 2: Infrastructure for IoT

This module is dedicated to provide a detailed description of the hardware components that comprise the infrastructure for IoT.
In the hardware section of this module, you will get a complete overview of the physical engineering layer of IoT including the electrical and mechanical components.
IoT reduces human effort and improves efficiency, accuracy and economy by allowing objects to be remote controlled across existing network .
This module identifies the leads that open up opportunities for direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems.
The module lists down the things to keep in mind before designing the printed circuit boards for IoT.
In this module, you get a glimpse into the benefits of rapid prototyping for IoT development.
The module explains how the UX is different for IoT.
This module also deals extensively with the policy framework of the IoT in USA.

Module 3: IoT Network Architecture and Design

This module begins with an extensive information about IoT architectural drivers which are the basis of the system design.
You also get to know about the four categories of the architectural drivers.
This module gives a broad view of the oneM2M IoT standardized architecture that comprises of the Application Entity and the Common Services Entity.
The module also throws light on the major elements of M2M technology including Wi-Fi, sensors, RFID, cellular communication link, and computing software.
This module describes the basic three-layer architecture comprising of the application, service and the network layers.
This provides you a window view of the IoT WF (World Forum) standardized architecture.
The IoT reference model proposed by the WF comprise of seven levels defined by the terminologies that can be standardized to create a globally accepted frame of reference.
This module dives into the details of IoT reference models such as the Purdue model, IIRA model and IoT–A model.
For any product development, an architectural reference model provides multiple benefits.
The module walks you through the simplified IoT architecture and its four stages.
The four stages deal with the sensors/devices, device edge, data intelligence and applications.
A detailed description of the IoT functional stack and the factors to be considered before choosing one, are elucidated.
The critical variables that companies pursuing an IoT solution should be considered before customizing the stacks for specific needs.
This module underscores the importance of the IoT data management and compute stack which is an important design factor.
It is important to know how to design an IoT network to efficiently manage huge volumes of data and lead to business benefits.
This module also touches upon the best-known embodiment of edge services in IoT, called the Fog Computing.

Module 4: IoT Business Models

This module explains how IoT business models contribute in making money with IoT – the payment models for advertisements.
The module throws light on the different types of successful online advertising and advertisement-based revenue.
Various pricing models such as the Pay-per-use consumption-based pricing model, subscription-based model, freemium pricing model and the revenue sharing model are elucidated.
The module compares the pros and cons of cross-selling and upselling marketing techniques.
This module underlines the importance of understanding your product or service, the solutions, and the target audience.
This module gives a detailed description of how a decentralized procurement process can result in betterment of sales.

Module 5: Entrepreneurship Opportunities in IoT

This module helps businesses in hiring and setting up the right team.
Multinationals realize that IoT is ‘’the thing’’ now and many of them are setting up IoT business units to keep up with the new trend in technology.
This module also lists the challenges in finding IoT talent.
You will also get an understanding about how an entrepreneur can raise funds for his/her IoT company.
This module envisions how IoT connects billions of sensors for efficient and effective resource management in smart cities.
The module also explains in detail the three major service models that are closely bound to cloud computing - Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-service (SaaS).
This module describes the basic things for internet entrepreneurs to know about website hosting.
You will learn in detail about IoT development and design that entrepreneurs need to know.
This module touches upon the creation of a quick prototype or an entire IoT-powered business application, through the incredibly smart technology of IoT development.
In this module, emphasis is given to marketing - IoT is affecting almost all industries – big or small and has a tremendous impact on the volume of data and on network traffic.
IoT is also revolutionizing business operations that are real and tangible, from logistics to marketing.
In this module, we get an in depth understanding of Data Analysis - a process which is used to examine big and small data sets with varying data properties to extract meaningful conclusions.

Module 6: IoT Standards

This module guides you about IoT standardization and how IoT implementation happens with standardization.
Evolution of the industries forces IoT backend tasks, such as processing, storage, and firmware updates, to become more relevant.
In this module the importance of spectrum energy communication protocol standards, is stressed.
Spectrum energy communication protocol standards minimises ambiguity allows IoT implementation to be efficient.
This module also discusses the standards for communication within and outside the cloud.
Cloud communications are Internet-based voice and data communications where telecommunications applications, switching and storage are hosted by a third-party outside of the organization using them.
This module gives a broad view of international quality and integrity standards for data creation and data traceability.
The standards for energy consumption involving the large number of heterogeneous IoT devices, are also discussed.
Last but not the least, this module emphasises upon the safety standards especially, the standards required for privacy protection.
ISO standards - Important ISO standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002 can help in making existing and emerging industry safer.
The module also explains the specific IoT risks related to privacy and the IoT privacy framework.

Module 7: IoT Platforms

This module provides exhaustive details about IoT platforms.
IoT platform is an application that acts as a mediator between devices and their corresponding cloud.
The module describes various platforms that help to manage, control and monitor operations for securing connectivity between devices, for remote data collection from connected devices and sensor management.
This module underlines the benefits of using the major IoT platforms including: AWS, Windows 10 IoT Core, Kaa, IBM Watson/Bluemix, Google Cloud IoT, Predix, Oracle Integrated Cloud, Salesforce IoT Cloud, CISCO IoT Cloud, Arduino, PlatformIO, GraspIO, Node-RED, Ardublock, Modkit, Reactive Blocks and Xively.

Module 8: IoT Development Boards

This module gives a detailed description of Arduino Uno which is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328 processor.
The module explains about Intel Edison Edison which is a computing module from Intel, embedded into wearable projects, manage IoT applications and control robotics platforms.
You get a complete overview of the Particle Photon 2G & 3G devices - ideal for IoT projects with cloud-connectivity.
This module explains about the Dragonboard 410C - a development board based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 series processor and its features.

Module 9: IoT Circuits and Wirings

This module deals with the basics of circuits and wirings that are a must for IoT to connect all the things includes devices, gadgets, home appliances, vehicles, phones, computers, etc. with the internet.
At the end of this module, you will have a thorough understanding of the different IoT circuits and wireless connectivity which is the core of any IoT product.
You will also dwell upon the different connectors used in the IoT network including the USB cables.
You get an understanding of the functions of the different pins on a development board.

Module 10: IoT Sensors, Actuators and Smart Objects

This is a comprehensive module that explains the different types of sensors and actuators.
There are numerous types of sensors and actuators used for various functions in the IoT system.
This module explains each type of sensor and actuators, their features and limitations.
There is detailed descriptions of the sensors used for each component/task in a smartphone.
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) - This module offers a complete overview of MEMS devices such as pressure sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, microphones, micro-mirrors, etc.
MEMS technology offers the possibility of low-cost, high- performance, and miniaturized multifunctional-integrated devices for consumer and industrial applications.
The module lists how the smart objects provide a distributed architectural model for IoT.
This module also describes the Wireless sensor networks that include a number of sensor nodes, each node equipped with a sensor to detect physical phenomena such as light or heat.
The module deals with Sensor-Actuator Networks (SANET) successfully deployed for passively monitoring environments.
Wireless SANETs are applied in agricultural maintenance and localized delivery of medication.

Module 11: Interconnecting Smart Objects

This module walks you through the various protocols, frequency bands, topologies, technologies and standards applicable for interconnection of smart objects in the IoT system.
There is emphasis on the role of important standards of the IEEE802 series that provide a framework for a seamless interconnection.
The module underlines the importance of the protocols used in wide area networks, narrow band and high-speed wireless communication for mobile devices and data terminals.
The content also touches upon the If This Then That (IFTTT) - a web-based service to create chains of simple conditional statements that are also called applets.
Wireless IoT requires a lot of requirements including low-power, low-cost, medium range, and moderate data rate, it is reasonable to assume that the frequency of operation should be between 100 MHz and 5.8 GHz.
This module goes into the details of the three types of IoT topologies namely, Star topology, MESH topology and P2P topology.
This module discusses the three classes of constrained devices and the constrained node networks.
The features of various IoT standards and alliances are also listed.

Module 12: IoT Programming Languages

This module gives a glimpse of all the IoT enabled devices require coding for connecting smartthings and a range of programming languages that are used to accomplish the task.
The module explains, in detail, the various computer programming languages such as C and C++.
There is an overview of object oriented high-level programming language such as Java, JavaScript and Python.
Lower-level programming language such as the Assembly and compact multi-threaded and object-oriented programming language such as B#, are explained.
This module covers several other languages including Go, Parasail, PHP, Rust, Swift and Arduino.

Module 13: IoT Network Layers

This module is about IoT Protocols and the internet protocols for IoT.
The module explains the connection and integration of sensor devices with the internet, based on the protocols such as SCADA, etc.
The sensors require an IP-compatible protocol stack with efficient bandwidth, energy and capable of working with limited hardware resources.
This module draws acomparison between the two modes of serial communication that is the process for transmitting serial data in either of the two modes.
The module explores the features of the cellular provider and technologies that bring major enhancements to low-cost and simplified devices with extended coverage and longer battery life.
This module explains about 6TiSCH – a new Working Group (WG) in the Internet Engineering Task Force, which is standardizing the mechanisms making the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) a reality.
The module describes the distance vector routing protocol (RPL) designed for low power and lossy networks, supported by a routing topology called Destination-Oriented Directed Acyclic Graph (DODAG).
This module gives an in-depth view of IoT compliances that deal with regulatory and legal challenges, privacy and data security requirements, critical infrastructure considerations, product safety, energy efficiency, medical device obligations, advertising, etc.
The module expands the scope of IoT networks with Wi-Sun Alliance which is a global industry association for supporting the worldwide development of Wireless Communications Networks for Utilities, Smart Cities and IoT.

Module 14: IoT Building Prototypes using 3D Printers

This module provides a wealth of knowledge about the basics of 3D printing which is also known as desktop fabrication or additive manufacturing.
It is a prototyping process whereby a real object is created from a 3D design.
To get a grasp of modelling large complex networks, using agent-based modelling and simulation tools are therefore a natural choice.
This module will convince you that printing IoT and digital printing are a great combination!
Delve into the print industry which has already started its service transformation journey enabling a shift from transactional sales models to service models that harness the value of data generated through user interaction with connected IoT devices.
Get an insight about how fully functional and active systems that incorporate many modules, such as embedded sensors, electronics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), are printed.
This module emphasises on processes and Printers 3D printing technology across various fields.
IoT can play an important role in ensuring quality control by connecting big data analytics to 3D printing through the strategic use of embedded sensors.

Module 15: IoT Cloud Data Storage

This module is dedicated to exploring how you can store your data in the cloud.
Cloud storage refers to the online space that can be used to remotely store data.
Storing the available data is only the first step. The data must be organized in prescribed format called data indexing.
This module refers to the arrangement of data according to a specific schema or plan.
Several companies have to confront the challenges of handling data across a variety of sources and data stored in different systems, locations, formats, and schemas.
This module, dwells upon integrating structured and unstructured data.
You will also learn about combining and extending multiple databases to store and manage diverse types of data collected.
This module helps to understand how automated data collection is enabled through software is found to improve data accuracy, eliminating duplication and entry errors.

Module 16: Deep Learning

This module takes you through a machine learning technique known as “Deep Learning” used to teach computers to ‘understand’ and ‘do’ what is being taught.
There is stress upon the features of deep learning models referred to as neural networks.
The differences between machine learning and deep learning are elucidated.
Deep learning is a specialized form of machine learning while a machine learning workflow starts with relevant features being manually extracted from images.
This module also draws the comparison between supervised learning and unsupervised learning.
You will also learn how to train and optimize basic neural networks, convolutional neural networks, long and short-term memory networks.
The module takes you through the learning systems in TensorFlow - an open source software library for numerical computation using data flow graphs.
The TensorFlow machine learning system, was designed for conducting machine learning and deep neural networks research.
You will be introduced to Caffe that is a deep learning framework preferred for its speed and is perfect for research experiments and industry deployment.
The module explains about Theano - a Python library that allows to define, optimize, and evaluate mathematical expressions involving multi-dimensional arrays.
Theano is a foundational library for deep learning in Python that you can use directly to create deep learning models or wrapper libraries that greatly simplify the process.
In this module you will be introduced to Torch - an open source machine learning library, a scientific computing framework, and a script language based on the Lua programming language.

Module 17: Big Data Analytics

This module opens up the windows to the most important topic – Big Data Analytics.
Big data analytics is the process of scrutinizing large and varied data sets that are termed as ‘big data’ to reveal hidden patterns, unknown correlations, market trends, customer preferences and useful information for organizations make informed business decisions.
The module underlines the various benefits and features of applying big data analytics.
This module gives an overview of the components that boost up big data analytics, including parallel processing, NoSQL databases, HADOOP, edge streaming analytics, network analytics and net flow architecture.
Delve into the scope, requirements and challenges of big data analytics.
This module also envisions the heavy impact of the IoT across the Big Data applications which, will force companies to quickly upgrade their existing processes, tools, and technology to accommodate massive data volumes.

Module 18: Industry 4.0

This module gives an overview of how IoT has penetrated into different sectors and fields effectively.
The module also reiterates the benefits of IoT in a smart world of connected things, devices, and users.
Exchanging information in real time helps to perform assigned tasks is a reality with increased automation – thanks to IoT, across industries and countries.
You will get a glimpse of how IoT impacts different sectors of the industry and impacts productivity.
This module heavily focuses on smart products and smart supply chains.
The module accentuates the skill sets for supply chain professionals and their role on designing inter-enterprise collaboration, network and capability optimization, risk and disruption management, to create competitive advantages.

Module 19: Smart Cities

With this module take a peek into some of the most important sectors where IoT is the key factor.
You get to learn about how IoT helps with faster connectivity and intelligent handling of data sourced from multiple sources and digital enhancement.
This module emphasises on how IoT enables a smart city to integrate technology with the physical world for sustainable development and well-being of citizens.
There is detailed description about creating a digital city, that is, a city in cyberspace supported with an interactive environment.
IoT is also a core component of virtual cities which are digital representation of cities with various embedded functionalities, simulating architecture of our society.
The module also concentrates on the role of IoT in creating information cities which are the ideal prototypes of the knowledge societies of the future.
Informational cities will be the new age power centres.
This module gives an account of how intelligent cities are driven by IoT capabilities to augment the performance and services provided by the cities.
The module delves into the details of how IoT gives rise to ubiquitous cities (u-city) which means having access to any data or services at any time and in any place through any device connected through a network.

Module 20: IoT Case Studies

This module walks you through a wide range of case studies where IoT is extensively used.
You will learn how IoT is applied in manufacturing, mining, oil and gas departments.
Descriptive case studies where IoT is used in public safety, transportation, healthcare, utilities, smart and connected cities, are also included.

Module 21: IoT Security

This module gives you an insight into one of the most important aspects of an IoT network - the IoT security, for keeping businesses safe and secure.
The module also deals with the following facets of IoT security:
Internet of Things Security Foundation (IoTSF) which is a non-profit organisation handling IoT security in the hyper-connected world.
The characteristics of the IoT security compliant devices.
Definition of cyber threat intelligence and the different types of threat actors.
Emphasis on the threat intelligence services that enable data gathering while simultaneously identifying potential threat actors and their sources.

Module 22: IoT in Home Automation

This module walks you through one of the most ‘happening’ topics today!
In this module, you get to learn how IoT enabled Interactive Voice Assistants enhance the capabilities of home automation system.
Users can control various operations in their homes with their voice as the input.
The module explains about the Echo family of smart speakers developed by Amazon Inc.
Focus is also upon the specifications of each of the Amazon Echo products.
This module gives a detailed explanation about Alexa - Amazon’s interactive voice-based personal assistant.
Alexa is equipped with skills for providing personal experience to users and perform specific tasks.
You will learn about Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) that stores the self-service APIs, tools, documentation, and code samples.
The module deals in depth with the role of science behind Alexa, Google Home and Apple Homekit.
Google Home is an excellent innovative device powered by the Google Assistant that offers a user-friendly interface to Google.
This module lists down the steps to create your own app for the Google Assistant to control any device by creating “Actions on Google”.
The Google Assistant SDK in the devices enables voice control and natural language understanding.
The module describes the Device Actions feature from the latest version of the Google Assistant SDK, that fixes the limitations encountered in the working of the Google Assistant.
This module also explains about the Google Home Mini – a smaller pack of the full-sized Google Home.
You get to learn how to build a device.
The module gives an overview of Google Wifi which is the latest home Wi-Fi system.
Google Wifi offers seamless WiFi service with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and modem thereby replacing the traditional router.
The module gives a detailed explanation of Apple HomeKit that lets users set up their iOS Device to configure, communicate, and control smart-home appliances.
In the module, you learn about the Apple Home app that allows you to securely control any smart home device, called as a "Works with Apple HomeKit” accessory.
By using the app, you can organize your accessories by room, manage multiple accessories, control your entire home with Siri, and more.