Chapter 3: IoT & M2M Concepts

Chapter 3: IoT & M2M

• Chapter 3 of the Internet of Things (IoT) book focuses on IoT and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) concepts.
• M2M refers to networking machines for remote monitoring, control, and data exchange.
• M2M is a subset of IoT and encompasses a specific aspect of the broader IoT landscape.
• M2M area networks consist of machines (M2M nodes) with embedded hardware for sensing, actuation, and communication.
• Various communication protocols support M2M local area networks, including ZigBee, Bluetooth, ModBus, M-Bus, Wireless M-Bus, Power Line Communication (PLC), 6LoWPAN, and IEEE 802.15.4.
• M2M area networks can utilize either wired or wireless (IP-based) networks for communication.
• Proprietary protocols (e.g., Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)) are developed by specific organizations to fulfill unique requirements, potentially offering low power consumption, low latency, or efficient bandwidth use.
• Non-IP-based communication protocols, like IEEE 802.15.4, are used in applications such as low-power, low-data-rate wireless personal area networks (LPWANs) and in personal area networks (PANs).
• The communication network acts as a connecting bridge to remote M2M area networks.

Differences and Similarities between M2M and IoT

• M2M focuses heavily on specialized machine-to-machine communication protocols.
• IoT utilizes standardized internet protocols, commonly HTTP, TCP/IP, and WebSockets.
• M2M systems typically have homogeneous machine types, whereas IoT encompasses a wide variety of "things" (physical objects, sensors, etc.).
• M2M systems often focus on real-time data transmission and control, unlike IoT systems that frequently emphasize data management and analysis.
• M2M data collection and analysis are usually managed on-premises, in contrast to IoT data, often stored and analyzed in cloud environments.
• M2M applications generally handle point-to-point communication with a smaller scale than IoT.
• IoT often handles device variety, scalability, complexity, and interoperability in distributed, broader network deployments.

SDN and NFV for IoT

• Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a network architecture that separates control plane from data plane, centralizing the network control.
• SDN leverages programmable open APIs to support various network level applications and communication.
• SDN architectures typically utilize the standard communication interface (OpenFlow) for network level communication.
• Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a technology that enables virtualization of network functions, abstracting them from hardware.
• NFV runs network functions (like firewalls, load balancers) on standard servers or cloud platforms, decoupling them from underlying hardware.
• The integration of NFV and IoT enables a flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient network solution.
• NFV provides the infrastructure on which SDN can run, enabling effective resource utilization, service agility, and centralized network management in IoT applications.

Explore Chapter 3 of the Internet of Things book, which delves into IoT and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) concepts. Understand networking for remote monitoring, various communication protocols, and the role of M2M in the wider IoT context. This chapter covers essential aspects of machine networking, including both wired and wireless technologies.