VMware is hoping to bring its expertise in data center management, monitoring, and security to the Internet of Things (IoT) with its VMware Pulse IoT Center. The company unveiled the new Pulse IoT platform earlier this month with the intent of helping companies monitor and secure IoT devices from the edge of the network to the cloud.

VMware’s Pulse IoT Center consists of two main components —a management console that provides the backend for device management, issues alerts and notifications to the user, and provides an API for third-party integrations. And a client-side agent that works with IoT gateways, and can be customized to orchestrate telemetry from any IoT gateway, edge system, or connected device. The client-side agent also configures changes and software updates.

According to Mimi Spier, VP of Internet of Things at VMware, most companies are focused on IoT analytics but few are paying attention to the control plane aspect. “We believe the gateway is the new compute and storage,” Spier said. “We provide the control plane and that is not where most of the IoT investment is going.”

Spier said VMware’s Pulse can help companies manage their IoT devices and will be able to cross into different industry segments from factories to hospitals and more. The company intends to partner with some of the bigger IoT focused firms like GE Digital and Bosch and offer a white-label solution those companies can integrate with their IoT platforms and sell to customers.

One big differentiator, according to Spier, is that Pulse offers a three-tier solution that lets customers monitor the edge, monitor the network, and monitor devices, even those in remote locations. “We can monitor those to make sure they are operationally doing what they are supposed to do.”

Spier said that by tracking temperature and vibrations, it can use predictive maintenance to determine if those devices are about to fail. “If  a vibration goes up, it may need maintenance.”

The Pulse IoT Center is currently in beta and Spier said there is already a wait list of interested customers. The product will be available commercially in the second half of the year.