The Internet of Things is the subject of hype, and of vast projections: According to McKinsey Global Institute, the Internet of Things has the potential to create an economic impact of $2.7 trillion to $6.2 trillion annually by 2025 (McKinsey Global Institute, Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy, May 2013).

The Internet of Things is not a futuristic, aspirational technology trend. It’s here today in the devices, sensors, cloud infrastructure, and data and business intelligence tools you are already using. Rather than thinking about the Internet of Things in terms of everything–such as billions of devices and sensors–focus on what matters most to you. Instead of thinking about the massive amount of data being produced, think about how one piece of data can provide value to your business.

Microsoft delivers a unique, integrated approach that allows enterprises to capitalize on the Internet of Things by gathering, storing and processing data. This approach extends from a broad product portfolio for a range of PCs, tablets and industry devices on the edge of enterprise networks, to developer tools, backend systems and services, and a diverse partner ecosystem.

When connected line-of-business (LoB) assets–from sensors to industry devices–extend Windows across an enterprise’s infrastructure to the network edge, and the breadth of Microsoft’s data platform is harnessed, your business can capitalize on new intelligence and opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.