Internet of things (IOT) Network Protocols

IOT Network Protocols are used to connect devices over the network. These are the set of
communication protocols typically used over the Internet. Using IoT network protocols, end-
to-end data communication within the scope of the network is allowed.

Important IoT protocols

The benefit and value of IoT comes from enabling the components to communicate; this
ability to communicate is what moves data from endpoint devices through the IoT pipeline to
central servers. This communication happens via IoT protocols, which ensure that data sent
from endpoint devices, such as sensors, is received and understood by the next and
subsequent steps in the connected environment, whether the next step for that data is to
another endpoint device or a gateway or an application. Although protocols as a collective
group are essential to making IoT work, protocols aren't all created equal. Not all protocols
work, or work well, in every circumstance, according to Bill Ray, analyst and senior research
director at Gartner.

Ray noted that some protocols work well for IoT use in buildings, some are well suited for
IoT deployments spread among buildings and others work well for national or global IoT use
cases. There are multiple IoT protocols available, with each one offering certain capabilities
or combinations of features that make it preferable over other options for specific IoT
deployments.

Each IoT protocol enables either device-to-device, device-to-gateway or device-to-cloud/data

center communication -- or combinations of those communications. Factors such as
geographic and special location, power consumption needs, battery-operated options, the
presence of physical barriers and cost determine which protocol is optimal in an IoT
deployment

1
The different layers of IoT architecture
Networking systems are built as a stack of technologies; these are frequently visualized in a
reference model -- a type of framework -- that technologists use to conceptualize how data is
communicated over the entire stack.

The most well-known one is the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, which lists
seven layers. From bottom to top, the layers are the following:

1. Physical

2. Data link

3. Network

4. Transport

5. Session

6. Presentation

7. Application

IoT is also expressed in a multilayer model. Although some use the OSI seven-layer model,
others in use include the following:

 three-layer model: perception, network and application

 four-layer model: perception, support, network and application

 five-layer model: perception, transport, processing, application and

business, or physical, data link, network, transport and application

Internet protocols in use generally vary by layer. As such, an IoT ecosystem could have
multiple protocols, with different protocols enabling communication at different layers and
with some protocols bridging across layers, said Scott Young, principal research advisor for
infrastructure at Info-Tech Research Group.

For example, Bluetooth and wireless support communication at the lowest layers, while Data
Distribution Service (DDS) and MQTT work in the application layer.

2
Most common protocols
Technologists can select from multiple communication protocols when building a network to
serve their IoT ecosystem. The most common include the following.

1. AMQP
Short for Advanced Message Queuing Protocol, AMQP is an open standard protocol used for
more message-oriented middleware. As such, it enables messaging interoperability between
systems, regardless of the message brokers or platforms being used. It offers security and
interoperability, as well as reliability, even at a distance or over poor networks. It supports
communications, even when systems aren't simultaneously available.

2. Bluetooth and BLE

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology that uses short-wavelength, ultrahigh-
frequency radio waves. It had most commonly been used for audio streaming, but it has also
become a significant enabler of wireless and connected devices. As a result, this low-power,
low-range connectivity option is a go-to for both personal area networks and IoT
deployments.

Another option is Bluetooth Low Energy, known as either Bluetooth LE or BLE, which is a
new version optimized for IoT connections. True to its name, BLE consumes less power than
standard Bluetooth, which makes it particularly appealing in many use cases, such as health
and fitness trackers and smart home devices on the consumer side and for in-store navigation
on the commercial side.

3
3. Cellular
Cellular is one of the most widely available and well-known options available for IoT
applications, and it is one of the best options for deployments where communications range
over longer distances. Although 2G and 3G legacy cellular standards are now being phased
out, telecommunications companies are rapidly expanding the reach of newer high-speed
standards -- namely, 4G/LTE and 5G. Cellular provides high bandwidth and reliable
communication. It's capable of sending high quantities of data, which is an important
capability for many IoT deployments. However, those features come at a price: higher cost
and power consumption than other options.

4. CoAP
The Internet Engineering Task Force Constrained RESTful Environments Working Group in
2013 launched CoAP, for Constrained Application Protocol, having designed it to work with
HTTP-based IoT systems. CoAP relies on User Datagram Protocol to establish secure
communications and enable data transmission between multiple points. Often used for
machine-to-machine (M2M) applications, CoAP enables constrained devices to join an IoT
environment, even with the presence of low bandwidth, low availability and or low-energy
devices.

5. DDS
Object Management Group (OMG) developed Data Distribution Service for real-time
systems. OMG describes DDS as "a middleware protocol and API standard for data-centric
connectivity," explaining that "it integrates the components of a system together, providing
low-latency data connectivity, extreme reliability and a scalable architecture that business and
mission-critical IoT applications need." This M2M standard enables high-performance and
highly scalable real-time data exchange using a publish-subscribe pattern.

6. LoRa and LoRaWAN

LoRa, for long range, is a noncellular wireless technology that, as its name describes, offers
long-range communication capabilities. It's low power with secure data transmission for
M2M applications and IoT deployments. A proprietary technology, it's now part of Semtech's
radio frequency platform. The LoRa Alliance, of which Semtech was a founding member, is
now the governing body of LoRa technology. The LoRa Alliance also designed and now

4
maintains LoRaWAN, an open cloud-based protocol that enables IoT devices to
communicate LoRa.

7. LWM2M
OMA SpecWorks describes its Lightweight M2M (LWM2M) as "a device management
protocol designed for sensor networks and the demands of an M2M environment." This
communication protocol was designed specifically for remote device management and
telemetry in IoT environments and other M2M applications; as such, it's a good option for
low-power devices with limited processing and storage capabilities.

8. MQTT
Developed in 1999 and first known as Message Queuing Telemetry Transport, it's now just
MQTT. There is no longer any message queueing in this protocol. MQTT uses a publish-
subscribe architecture to enable M2M communication. Its simple messaging protocol works
with constrained devices and enables communication between multiple devices. It was
designed to work in low-bandwidth situations, such as for sensors and mobile devices on
unreliable networks. That capability makes it a commonly preferred option for connecting
devices with a small code footprint, as well as for wireless networks with varying levels of
latency stemming from bandwidth constraints or unreliable connections. MQTT, which
started as a proprietary protocol, is now the leading open source protocol for connecting IoT
and industrial IoT devices.

9. Wi-Fi
Given its pervasiveness in home, commercial and industrial buildings, Wi-Fi is a frequently
used IoT protocol. It offers fast data transfer and is capable of processing large amounts of
data. Wi-Fi is particularly well suited within LAN environments, with short- to medium-
range distances. Moreover, Wi-Fi's multiple standards -- the most common in homes and
some businesses being 802.11n -- give technologists options for deployment. However, many
Wi-Fi standards, including the one commonly used in homes, is too power-consuming for
some IoT use cases, particularly low-power/battery-powered devices. That limits Wi-Fi as an
option for some deployments. Additionally, Wi-Fi's low range and low scalability also limit
its feasibility for use in many IoT deployments.

5
10. XMPP

Dating back to the early 2000s when the Jabber open source community first designed its
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol for real-time human-to-human communication,
XMPP is now used for M2M communication in lightweight middleware and for routing
XML data. XMPP supports the real-time exchange of structured but extensible data between
multiple entities on a network, and it's most often used for consumer-oriented IoT
deployments, such as smart appliances. It's an open source protocol supported by the XMPP
Standards Foundation.

11. Zigbee
Zigbee is a mesh network protocol that was designed for building and home automation
applications, and it's one of the most popular mesh protocols in IoT environments. A short-
range and low-power protocol, Zigbee can be used to extend communication over multiple
devices. It has a longer range than BLE, but it has a lower data rate than BLE. Overseen by
the Zigbee Alliance, it offers a flexible, self-organizing mesh, ultralow power and a library of
applications.

12. Z-Wave
Another proprietary option, Z-Wave is a wireless mesh network communication protocol
built on low-power radio frequency technology. Like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Z-Wave lets
smart devices communicate with encryption, thereby providing a level of security to the IoT
deployment. It's commonly used for home automation products and security systems, as well
as in commercial applications, such as energy management technologies. It operates on
908.42 MHz radio frequency in the U.S.; although, its frequencies vary country by country.
Z-Wave is supported by the Z-Wave Alliance, a member consortium focused on expanding
the technology and interoperability of devices that use Z-Wave.