Consider this: By the time you've finished reading this short paragraph, another 1,000 "things" will be connected to the Internet.And we're not even talking about a lengthy paragraph of Dickensian proportion - just this modest paragraph of 39 words.

Those newly connected things will be a mix of mobile devices, parking meters, sensors, thermostats, lab equipment, supermarket shelves, cars, cardiac monitors, and more. The fact is, this list of connected things keeps expanding by the second. Just a few years ago, the number of connected devices began outnumbering the Earth's human population. Fast forward to 2020, and this gap will widen exponentially -with the number of connected things projected to exceed50 billion.

As a result, countries, cities, industries, and businesses around the globe are becoming digital to capitalize on the unprecedented opportunity brought about by the next wave of the Internet. When people, process, data, and things are connected, we can capture unprecedented business value. And an essential part of capturing this value is connecting the unconnected through the Internet of Things.

This Week's News

Which brings me to this week's news. Cisco announced the Cisco IoT System,a comprehensive set of Cisco IoT technologies and products for enterprises to deploy, accelerate, and innovate with IoT.

The Cisco IoT System integrates six pillars that must come together for a successful IoT solution and deployment:

• Network connectivity
• Fog computing
• Data analytics
• Security both cyber and physical
• A way to manage and automate IoT at scale
• A platform for application development

Each of the six pillars offers a comprehensive set of IoT technologies and products that together become an integral part of overall Internet of Everything (IoE) solutions.

Why It Matters

As we connect all of these unconnected things and increase connectivity across industrial equipment, we are placing new demands on the infrastructure for IoT. And make no mistake: IoT requires all of these complex elements -from connectivity to security to automation, analytics, and open APIs - to work togetheras a systemto deliver business benefits. This is a tall order. The beauty of the Cisco IoT System is that it provides a fully integrated solution that reduces the complexity of IoT deployments.

Call to Action

To get the full story, watch the launch webinar. Read Tony Shakib's blog on how the IoT System enhances our IoE vertical solutions in areas like manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, transportation, and public sector.

If you're a Cisco partner, visit our new IoT System partner website, download the Partner Playbook and other partner resources, explore IoT specializations, and learn how you can capture your share of this multibillion-dollar market. Partners will also want to read about the 15 new IoT products we announced today, which span industrial switches and routers, mobile and wireless products, Fog data services, and more.

Remember, while you've been reading this blog, several thousand more things were connected to the Internet. Are you ready to capitalize on this remarkable opportunity?