Cisco and IBM have inked a global collaboration to provide Internet of Things (IoT) insight at the edge of the network, combining IBM’s Watson IoT and business analytics technologies and Cisco’s edge analytics capabilities.

The two companies have joined forces to offer immediate, actionable insight at the point of data collection, targetting companies operating on the edge of computer networks such as oil rigs, factories, shipping companies and mines, where bandwidth is often lacking.

“The way we experience and interact with the physical world is being transformed by the power of cloud computing and the Internet of Things,” said Harriet Green, general manager, IBM Watson IoT, Commerce & Education. “For an oil rig in a remote location or a factory where critical decisions have to be taken immediately, uploading all data to the cloud is not always the best option. By coming together, IBM and Cisco are taking these powerful IoT technologies the last mile, extending Watson IoT from the cloud to the edge of computer networks.”

Organizations already deploying the solution include Bell Canada, Port of Cartagena, and SilverHook Powerboats.