The Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing opportunity, but it also creates new problems for both Big Data and enterprise. Hortonworks, Inc. thinks it could have the solution.

Scott Gnau, CTO of Hortonworks, returned to theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, during the BigDataSV 2016 event in San Jose, California, where theCUBE is celebrating #BigDataWeek, including news and events from the #StrataHadoop conference. Gnau spoke to theCUBE cohosts John Furrier (@furrier), cofounder and CEO of SiliconANGLE, and George Gilbert (@ggilbert41), Wikibon Big Data and analytics analyst.

Problems … or opportunities?

Gnau listed several problems facing companies looking to implement IoT within its products that he thinks are opportunities for innovation. These include:

• Security is now a “jagged edge” with no clearly defined boundaries.
• IoT data flow is not in one direction but point-to-point and bi-directional.
• Wireless workflow and bandwidth issues must be managed.
• Providence of data must be controlled, making sure that data can be traced back to its source and validated.

Hortonworks is addressing these with its DataFlow (HDF) integrated platform that collects, conducts and curates real-time data, moving it from any source to any destination.

A constant information cycle

Although the HDF platform works with real-time, in-motion data rather than data-at-rest, the traditional models can still be applied, said Gnau. The difference is that customer action can now flow back to change the model so that the models are constantly reinventing themselves in a never-ending cycle, which Gnau equates to a thermostatic cycle continually testing and adjusting accordingly.

The key to future-proofing

Hortonworks is prepared to work with its customers not only on a current use-case scenario, but it is able to use the models to anticipate future use-cases. The key to future-proofing is to understand that there is going to be an ecosystem, Gnau said. A truly future-proofed system is decentralized, integrated, flexible and recognizes the need to “change your mind.”

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of BigDataSV 2016. And make sure to weigh in during theCUBE’s live coverage at the event by joining in on CrowdChat.

Photo by SiliconANGLE