Proactively predicting failure in data collection devices and failing over to alternate data collection devices

A computer program product for proactively detecting failure of a primary data collection device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

• monitor failure related data associated with a primary data collection device that is currently collecting sensor data;
• generate a hazard function based on the monitoring the failure related data;
• detect a failure event for the primary data collection device based on the hazard function;
• discontinue use of the primary data collection device based on the detecting the failure event;
• select an alternate data collection device to collect data from a plurality of detected or available alternate data collection devices based on the discontinuing the use of the primary data collection device;
• receive sensor data collected by the alternate data collection device;
• continue to monitor and receive failure related data associated with the primary data collection device after discontinuing use of the primary data collection device;
• and
• update the hazard function based on the failure related data.