Importance of Firmware Over the Air (FOTA)

Globally companies need flexible, efficient, and secure ways to manage IoT devices. Though there are mechanisms in IoT platforms that are used to manage devices, successful enterprises usually choose a device management protocol that helps in solving challenges. In device management the mechanism is the Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) update. This technology helps operators to seamlessly and remotely perform upgrades of the respective devices’ firmware versions which will enable them to fix bugs, be secure and add new functionalities if any. Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) is a vital feature supported by some network technologies. It helps in removing the need for computers or third-party program cables and helps to add features to the device.

Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) and its basic function help in remote updating of IoT enabled devices and machines by the concerned operator. The update helps in effective operation of the device and runs in the background which does not require any type of intervention of the end-user. By considering the average connection speed and the common size of a firmware file, the process of downloading all these updates over the air will not exceed ten minutes.

Firmware updates play a vital role in upgrading the devices adding new functionalities, fixing any issues, and configuration settings. The poor design of the firmware is a common vulnerability in internet-connected devices. Storing credentials or putting backdoors in the devices in an insecure manner can lead to hacking of IoT devices. It is vital to note that for developing a secure firmware package, the security guidelines are most commonly out of the scope of device management protocol specifications. One of the biggest responsibilities of the device manufacturer is to provide well-designed software and devices.

With the use of FOTA technology, service providers globally are able to effortlessly and seamlessly keep their devices secure and up to date. Firmware Over-the-Air is very useful to IoT systems, who have a huge number of connected devices that require updates frequently. Furthermore, it makes it simple and easy to release new updates in phases and this helps to scale operations and receive the latest updates automatically.