Azure Sphere vs IoT Hub Which One Is Best for Your IoT Project

Azure Sphere is a secure IoT platform that provides a comprehensive solution for building and managing IoT projects. It includes a secure MCU, a Linux-based OS, and a cloud-based service for secure over-the-air updates.

One key difference between Azure Sphere and IoT Hub is that Azure Sphere is designed for devices that require high levels of security and reliability. IoT Hub, on the other hand, is more general-purpose and can be used for a wide range of IoT projects.

Azure Sphere's secure MCU is a major advantage for projects that require high levels of security, such as industrial control systems or medical devices. This MCU is specifically designed to prevent tampering and ensure the integrity of the device's software and data.

IoT Hub, while still secure, is more geared towards projects that require real-time data processing and analytics, such as smart home devices or industrial automation systems.

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Azure Sphere offers a diverse catalog of devices to securely connect existing devices or build new highly secured intelligent devices.

You can use over-the-air update functionality and powerful development tools to deliver improvements and patches to any device, making it easy to keep your devices up-to-date and secure.

Azure Sphere provides security improvements developed and deployed by Microsoft to protect against emerging threats across the device lifecycle.

Interoperation with IoT platform services like Azure IoT Hub and IoT Central simplifies deployment, creating business value faster.

To authenticate the Avnet Start Kit, you'll need to use the Device Explorer app, which can be downloaded from the Azure GitHub page.

The Device Explorer app allows you to fill the IoT Hub Connection String field with the connection string of the IoT Hub you created and click on Update.

You can then create a new device identity and copy the connection string for the selected device.

Azure Sphere isn't just a simple microcontroller, but a comprehensive IoT security solution for building highly secure devices composed of three components: a unique microcontroller, a lightweight OS, and a cloud security service.

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Deployment and Maintenance is a crucial aspect of any IoT solution. Azure Sphere provides more than 10 years of Microsoft security services, including managed updates.

With Azure Sphere, you can respond to emerging threats and new requirements with real-time security patches and OS updates. This ensures the security and reliability of your IoT devices.

You can deploy over-the-air (OTA) updates alongside your application directly to the IoT device, streamlining the update process.

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When dealing with large amounts of data, IoT Hub is the way to go if you're collecting data from a lot of devices. If you only have a few devices and don't need to store a lot of data, IoT Central is a better option.

IoT Hub is designed to handle high volumes of data, making it perfect for large-scale IoT projects. This is especially useful if you're working with a large number of devices that need to send and receive data regularly.

IoT Central, on the other hand, is more suitable for small-scale projects with limited data storage needs. This makes it a great choice for proof-of-concepts or pilots.

For more insights, see: Azure Iot Central

Deploying updates and maintaining operations is crucial for the smooth functioning of your IoT devices. Every Azure Sphere instance comes with more than 10 years of Microsoft security services.

You can respond to emerging threats and new requirements with real-time security patches. This ensures your application stays up-to-date and secure.

OS updates are also a vital part of maintaining operations. These updates improve the overall performance and stability of your device.

Managed updates are included with every Azure Sphere instance, making it easy to keep your devices up-to-date. This feature saves you time and effort.

You can deploy over-the-air (OTA) updates alongside your application directly to the IoT device. This allows for seamless updates without disrupting device operations.

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If you're new to IoT development, it's essential to understand the basics of Azure Sphere and IoT Hub. Azure Sphere is a secure, cloud-connected microcontroller designed for IoT devices, while IoT Hub is a cloud-based service for managing and monitoring IoT devices.

To begin with Azure Sphere, you'll need a compatible device, such as the MT3620 or the MTK-ATMEGA. These devices come with built-in security features and a Linux-based operating system.

Azure Sphere's SDK provides a comprehensive set of tools for developing and debugging applications.

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Getting started can be overwhelming, but don't worry, help is here.

The official documentation for the project is available on the GitHub repository, which includes detailed guides and tutorials.

To get started, you'll need to download and install the required software, which includes a code editor and a terminal emulator.

The GitHub repository also provides a comprehensive FAQ section that answers common questions and troubleshooting issues.

The code editor you'll need is Visual Studio Code, which is free and available for download on the official website.

For a smooth experience, it's recommended to use the latest version of Visual Studio Code.

The terminal emulator you'll need is Git Bash, which is included in the Git download package.

You can find the download links for Git and Visual Studio Code on the official websites.

The project's GitHub repository also includes a detailed setup guide that outlines the necessary steps to get started.

Make sure to follow the setup guide carefully to avoid any potential issues.

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The foundation of Azure Sphere is built on a hardened Arm-based microcontroller that delivers the seven properties of highly secured devices. This microcontroller is designed to ensure everyone using Azure Sphere is on the same page and is using the same security model.

At the heart of this microcontroller is a hardware-based root of trust, which is a fundamental security feature. This feature ensures that the device's security is not compromised by software vulnerabilities.

The first Azure Sphere-certified microcontroller is MediaTek's MT3620, based on Arm's Cortex-A7 design. This chip is powerful enough to run a Linux-based operating system, making it suitable for more complex projects.

However, this chip is not the cheapest option available, with a price point more comparable to a Raspberry Pi than an Arduino.

Starting a webinar can be a great way to get started with Azure Sphere.

First, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the technology behind Azure Sphere. This will give you a solid foundation to build on.

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The hardware available for Azure Sphere is another crucial aspect to consider. You'll need to choose the right device to get started.

Software development in Visual Studio is a key part of the process. This is where you'll write the code that brings your project to life.

Here's a quick rundown of the key topics covered in our upcoming webinar on Azure Sphere:

The software is specifically designed for the Avnet Azure Sphere Start Kit, allowing you to configure the MT3620 as a gateway to connect legacy IoT systems to the Internet and the Azure IoT Hub.

The UART interface of the Azure Sphere device is used to communicate with the ZigBee wireless sensor network, which is the legacy IoT system.

You'll need to include the UART peripheral in the application manifest file, which lists all the resources required by the application.

The application manifest is accessed by the Azure Sphere runtime to determine which capabilities are allowed to use when the application is sideloaded or deployed to the device.

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Any attempt to access resources not described in the manifest will be denied by the runtime.

Two UARTs and Allowed Connections to Azure cloud services are added as essential capabilities in the manifest.

Remember to change "AllowedConnections" to your own Azure IoTHub.

The initialization process for the application is similar to that of the MT3620 as a direct connected device, except for configuring and opening the UART peripheral for communication with ZigBee Coordinator and Arduino Uno.

The UART event handler is called in the main loop for inbound message receiving, data validity checking, and local parameters updating.