Non-IP Networking and Wireless Protocols

Non-IP Networking (NIN)

• NIN is a communications technology that is designed to be more efficient and responsive than traditional IP-based networking.
• Uses a virtual circuit approach where packets are classified into "flows" via a Software Defined Networking (SDN) model.

ZigBee

• A wireless communication protocol designed for smart home devices.
• Enables devices to form a mesh network, where each device can relay messages to others without relying on a central hub.
• Low-power, low-cost, and low-data rate, making it ideal for long battery life and secure networking.
• Examples of ZigBee devices: smart lights, plugs, locks, thermostats, sensors, and remotes.

Bluetooth

• A wireless technology standard enabling devices to communicate over short distances without cables.
• Commonly used to connect peripherals (headsets, speakers, game controllers, mice, keyboards) to other gadgets.
• Can be used for file transfers between devices in the same room.

Modbus

• A client/server data communications protocol in the OSI model's application layer.
• Originally published by Modicon (now Schneider Electric) in 1979 for PLCs.
• De facto standard communication protocol for communication between industrial electronic devices across buses and networks.
• Popular in industrial environments due to being openly published and royalty-free.
• Uses serial communication lines, Ethernet, or internet protocol suite as a transport layer.
• Supports communication to and from multiple devices connected to the same cable or Ethernet network.

M-Bus

• A European standard for the remote reading of water, gas, or electricity meters.
• Can also be used for consumption meters in heating systems or water meters.
• Interface designed for two-wire communication, making it cost-effective.
• Uses serial communication lines as a transport layer.
• Widely used in building control systems for measuring consumption data.

Wireless M-Bus (wM-Bus)

• Open standard developed for power-efficient smart metering and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) applications.
• Based on the M-Bus protocol.
• Used for wireless communication between devices in Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems.
• Quickly spreading in Europe for electricity, gas, water, and heat metering.
• Network uses a star topology with master and slave devices as defined in EN 13757.
• Operates in the 868 MHz frequency band and uses a maximum of 25 milliwatts of power.

Power Line Communication (PLC)

• Communication technology that uses existing power lines to transmit data, voice, and video signals.
• Also known as Power Line Telecommunications (PLT).
• Used for a wide range of applications, including home automation and broadband internet access (broadband over power lines - BPL).
• Different types of PLC technologies are needed for different applications, ranging from home automation to internet access.
• Most PLC technologies are limited to one type of wire (premises wiring within a building), but some can cross between two levels (distribution network and premises wiring).
• Transformers typically prevent signal propagation, requiring multiple technologies to form large networks.

IEEE 802.15.4

• A technical standard defining the operation of a low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN).
• Specifies the physical layer and media access control for LR-WPANs.
• Designed for low-power, low-data-rate applications in Personal Area Networks (PANs) for IoT, embedded systems, and wireless sensor networks.
• Known for low power consumption, extended battery life, mesh networking capabilities, and cost-effectiveness.

M2M Gateway

• Used to enable communication between remote M2M area networks.
• Required because non-IP based protocols are used within these networks, preventing direct communication with external networks.

Difference Between IoT and M2M

• Communication Protocols: M2M systems use specialized protocols for machine-to-machine communication, while IoT systems typically utilize standard internet protocols.
• Connectivity options: M2M often uses dedicated networks like 2G, 3G, or 4G, while IoT devices can connect to a broader range of networks.
• Scale and heterogeneity: IoT systems typically involve larger scales and a wider variety of devices compared to M2M.
• Data management and analysis: IoT systems often emphasize data management and analysis, while M2M focuses on real-time data transmission and control.

Hardware vs Software Emphasis

• M2M emphasizes hardware with embedded modules, while IoT focuses more on software.
• Data Collection and Analysis: M2M data is collected in point solutions and stored on-premises, while IoT data is collected in the cloud.
• Applications: M2M data is accessed by on-premises applications, while IoT data is accessed by cloud applications.

SDN (Software-Defined Networking)

• Separates the control plane from the data plane, centralizing the network controller.
• Software-based SDN controllers maintain a unified view of the network, simplifying configuration, management, and provisioning.
• Underlying infrastructure uses simple packet forwarding hardware instead of specialized hardware.

Key elements of SDN

• Centralized Network Controller: Enables rapid network configuration.
• Programmable Open APIs: Support programmable open APIs for interface between application and control layers.
• Standard Communication Interface: Uses a standard communication interface between the control and infrastructure layers, with OpenFlow being a broadly accepted protocol.

NFV (Network Function Virtualization)

• Leverages virtualization to consolidate network devices onto standard servers, switches, and storage.
• Complementary to SDN as it provides the infrastructure on which SDN can run.

NFV

• Aims to virtualize and abstract network functions from dedicated hardware into software-based instances.