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+Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) E. Kim
+Request for Comments: 6568 ETRI
+Category: Informational D. Kaspar
+ISSN: 2070-1721 Simula Research Laboratory
+ JP. Vasseur
+ Cisco Systems, Inc.
+ April 2012
+
+
+ Design and Application Spaces
+ for IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs)
+
+Abstract
+
+ This document investigates potential application scenarios and use
+ cases for low-power wireless personal area networks (LoWPANs). This
+ document provides dimensions of design space for LoWPAN applications.
+ A list of use cases and market domains that may benefit and motivate
+ the work currently done in the 6LoWPAN Working Group is provided with
+ the characteristics of each dimension. A complete list of practical
+ use cases is not the goal of this document.
+
+Status of This Memo
+
+ This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
+ published for informational purposes.
+
+ This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
+ (IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has
+ received public review and has been approved for publication by the
+ Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Not all documents
+ approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet
+ Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741.
+
+ Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
+ and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
+ http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6568.
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+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 1]
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+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
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+Copyright Notice
+
+ Copyright (c) 2012 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
+ document authors. All rights reserved.
+
+ This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
+ Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
+ (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
+ publication of this document. Please review these documents
+ carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
+ to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must
+ include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
+ the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
+ described in the Simplified BSD License.
+
+ This document may contain material from IETF Documents or IETF
+ Contributions published or made publicly available before November
+ 10, 2008. The person(s) controlling the copyright in some of this
+ material may not have granted the IETF Trust the right to allow
+ modifications of such material outside the IETF Standards Process.
+ Without obtaining an adequate license from the person(s) controlling
+ the copyright in such materials, this document may not be modified
+ outside the IETF Standards Process, and derivative works of it may
+ not be created outside the IETF Standards Process, except to format
+ it for publication as an RFC or to translate it into languages other
+ than English.
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+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 2]
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+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+Table of Contents
+
+ 1. Introduction ....................................................3
+ 1.1. Terminology ................................................5
+ 1.2. Premise of Network Configuration ...........................5
+ 2. Design Space ....................................................6
+ 3. Application Scenarios ...........................................8
+ 3.1. Industrial Monitoring ......................................8
+ 3.1.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements .....................9
+ 3.1.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................10
+ 3.2. Structural Monitoring .....................................12
+ 3.2.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements ....................12
+ 3.2.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................14
+ 3.3. Connected Home ............................................15
+ 3.3.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements ....................15
+ 3.3.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................17
+ 3.4. Healthcare ................................................18
+ 3.4.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements ....................18
+ 3.4.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................19
+ 3.5. Vehicle Telematics ........................................20
+ 3.5.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements ....................21
+ 3.5.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................21
+ 3.6. Agricultural Monitoring ...................................22
+ 3.6.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements ....................22
+ 3.6.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability ..............................24
+ 4. Security Considerations ........................................25
+ 5. Acknowledgements ...............................................26
+ 6. References .....................................................26
+ 6.1. Normative References ......................................26
+ 6.2. Informative References ....................................27
+
+1. Introduction
+
+ Low-power and lossy networks (LLNs) is the term commonly used to
+ refer to networks made of highly constrained nodes (limited CPU,
+ memory, power) interconnected by a variety of "lossy" links
+ (low-power radio links or Power-Line Communication (PLC)). They are
+ characterized by low speed, low performance, low cost, and unstable
+ connectivity. A LoWPAN is a particular instance of an LLN, formed by
+ devices complying with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard [5]. Their typical
+ characteristics can be summarized as follows:
+
+ o Limited Processing Capability: The smallest common LoWPAN nodes
+ have 8-bit processors with clock rates around 10 MHz. Other
+ models exist with 16-bit and 32-bit cores (typically ARM7),
+ running at frequencies on the order of tens of MHz.
+
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+ o Small Memory Capacity: The smallest common LoWPAN nodes have a few
+ kilobytes of RAM with a few dozen kilobytes of ROM/flash memory.
+ While memory sizes of nodes continue to grow (e.g., IMote has 64
+ KB SRAM, 512 KB Flash memory), the nature of small memory capacity
+ for LoWPAN nodes remains a challenge.
+
+ o Low Power: Wireless radios for LoWPANs are normally
+ battery-operated. Their radio frequency (RF) transceivers often
+ have a current draw of about 10 to 30 mA, depending on the used
+ transmission power level. In order to reach common indoor ranges
+ of up to 30 meters and outdoor ranges of 100 meters, the used
+ transmission power is set around 0 to 3 dBm. Depending on the
+ processor type, there is an additional battery current consumption
+ of the CPU itself, commonly on the order of tens of milliamperes.
+ However, the CPU power consumption can often be reduced by a
+ thousandfold when switching to sleep mode.
+
+ o Short Range: The Personal Operating Space (POS) defined by
+ IEEE 802.15.4 implies a range of 10 meters. For real
+ implementations, the range of LoWPAN radios is typically measured
+ in tens of meters, but can reach over 100 meters in line-of-sight
+ situations.
+
+ o Low Bit Rate: The IEEE 802.15.4 standard defines a maximum
+ over-the-air rate of 250 kbit/s, which is most commonly used in
+ current deployments. Alternatively, three lower data rates of 20,
+ 40, and 100 kbit/s are defined.
+
+ As with any other LLN, a LoWPAN is not necessarily comprised of
+ sensor nodes only, but may also consist of actuators. For instance,
+ in an agricultural environment, sensor nodes might be used to detect
+ low soil humidity and then send commands to activate the sprinkler
+ system.
+
+ After defining common terminology in Section 1.1 and describing the
+ characteristics of LoWPANs in Section 2, this document provides a
+ list of use cases and market domains that may benefit and motivate
+ the work currently done in the 6LoWPAN Working Group.
+
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+1.1. Terminology
+
+ Readers are expected to be familiar with all terms and concepts
+ discussed in "IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks
+ (6LoWPANs): Overview, Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals" [2],
+ and "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 Networks" [3].
+
+ Readers would benefit from reading 6LoWPAN Neighbor Discovery (ND)
+ [6], 6LoWPAN header compression [7], and 6LoWPAN routing requirements
+ [8] for details of 6LoWPAN work.
+
+ This document defines the following terms:
+
+ LC (Local Controller)
+
+ A logical functional entity that performs the special role of
+ coordinating and controlling its child nodes for local data
+ aggregation, status management of local nodes, etc. There may be
+ multiple instances of local controller nodes in a LoWPAN.
+
+ LBR (LoWPAN Border Router)
+
+ A border router located at the junction of separate LoWPANs or
+ between a LoWPAN and another IP network. There may be one or more
+ LBRs at the LoWPAN boundary. An LBR is the responsible authority
+ for IPv6 Prefix propagation for the LoWPAN it serves. An isolated
+ LoWPAN also contains an LBR in the network; the LBR provides the
+ prefix(es) for the isolated network.
+
+1.2. Premise of Network Configuration
+
+ The IEEE 802.15.4 standard distinguishes between two types of nodes
+ -- reduced-function devices (RFDs) and full-function devices (FFDs).
+ As this distinction is based on some Medium Access Control (MAC)
+ features that are not always in use, we are not using this
+ distinction in this document.
+
+ 6LoWPANs can be deployed using either route-over or mesh-under
+ architectures. As the choice of route-over or mesh-under does not
+ affect the applicability of 6LoWPAN technologies to the use cases
+ described in the document, we will use the term "6LoWPAN" to mean
+ either a route-over or mesh-under network.
+
+ Communication to corresponding nodes outside of the LoWPAN is
+ becoming increasingly important for convenient data collection and
+ remote-control purposes. The intermediate LoWPAN nodes act as packet
+ forwarders on the link layer or as LoWPAN routers, and connect the
+ entire LoWPAN in a multi-hop fashion. LBRs are used to interconnect
+
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+ a LoWPAN to other networks, or to form an extended LoWPAN by
+ connecting multiple LoWPANs. Before LoWPAN nodes obtain their IPv6
+ addresses and the network is configured, each LoWPAN executes a
+ link-layer configuration either by the mechanisms specified in [6] or
+ by using a coordinator that is responsible for link-layer short
+ address allocation. However, the link-layer coordinator
+ functionality is out of the scope of this document. Details of
+ address allocation in 6LoWPAN ND are in [6].
+
+ A LoWPAN can be configured as mesh-under or route-over (see
+ Terminology in [6]). In a route-over configuration, multi-hop
+ transmission is carried out by LoWPAN routers using IP routing. In a
+ mesh-under configuration, the link-local scope reaches to the
+ boundaries of the LoWPAN, and multi-hop transmission is achieved by
+ forwarding data at the link layer or in a 6LoWPAN adaptation layer.
+ More information about mesh-under and route-over is in [6] and [8].
+
+2. Design Space
+
+ Inspired by [9], this section lists the dimensions used to describe
+ the design space of wireless sensor networks in the context of the
+ 6LoWPAN Working Group. The design space is already limited by the
+ unique characteristics of a LoWPAN (e.g., low power, short range, low
+ bit rate), as described in [2]. The possible dimensions for scenario
+ categorization used in this document are described as follows:
+
+ o Deployment: LoWPAN nodes can be scattered randomly, or they may be
+ deployed in an organized manner in a LoWPAN. The deployment can
+ occur at once, or as an iterative process. The selected type of
+ deployment has an impact on node density and location. This
+ feature affects how to organize (manually or automatically) the
+ LoWPAN and how to allocate addresses in the network.
+
+ o Network Size: The network size takes into account nodes that
+ provide the intended network capability. The number of nodes
+ involved in a LoWPAN could be small (ten), moderate (several
+ hundred), or large (over a thousand).
+
+ o Power Source: The power source of nodes, whether the nodes are
+ battery-powered or mains-powered, influences the network design.
+ The power may also be harvested from solar cells or other sources
+ of energy. Hybrid solutions are possible where only part of the
+ network is mains-powered.
+
+ o Connectivity: Nodes within a LoWPAN are considered "always
+ connected" when there is a network connection between any two
+ given nodes. However, due to external factors (e.g., extreme
+ environment, mobility) or programmed disconnections (e.g.,
+
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+ sleeping mode), network connectivity can be from "intermittent"
+ (i.e., regular disconnections) to "sporadic" (i.e., almost always
+ disconnected). Differences in L2 duty-cycling settings may
+ additionally impact connectivity due to highly varying bit rates.
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: The multi-hop communication factor
+ highlights the number of hops that have to be traversed to reach
+ the edge of the network or a destination node within it. A single
+ hop may be sufficient for simple star topologies, but a multi-hop
+ communication scheme is required for more elaborate topologies,
+ such as meshes or trees. In previous work on LoWPANs by academia
+ and industry, various routing mechanisms were introduced, such as
+ data-centric, event-driven, address-centric, localization-based,
+ geographical routing, etc. This document does not make use of
+ such a fine granularity but rather uses topologies and single/
+ multi-hop communication.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: Several traffic patterns may be used in LoWPANs
+ -- Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP), Multipoint-to-Point (MP2P), and
+ Point-to-Point (P2P), to name a few.
+
+ o Security Level: LoWPANs may carry sensitive information and
+ require high-level security support where the availability,
+ integrity, and confidentiality of the information are crucial.
+
+ o Mobility: Inherent to the wireless characteristics of LoWPANs,
+ nodes could move or be moved around. Mobility can be an induced
+ factor (e.g., sensors in an automobile) -- and hence not
+ predictable -- or a controlled characteristic (e.g., pre-planned
+ movement in a supply chain).
+
+ o Quality of Service (QoS): QoS issues in LoWPANs may be very
+ different from the traditional end-to-end QoS, as in LoWPAN
+ applications one end is not a single sensor node but often a group
+ of sensor nodes. Parameters for QoS should consider collective
+ data for latency, packet loss, data throughput, etc. In addition,
+ QoS requirements can be different based on the data delivery
+ model, such as event-driven, query-driven, continuous real-time,
+ or continuous non-real-time; these delivery models usually coexist
+ in LoWPAN applications. QoS issues in LoWPANs are more likely
+ related to corresponding application-specific data delivery
+ requirements within resource-constrained LoWPANs.
+
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+3. Application Scenarios
+
+ This section lists a fundamental set of LoWPAN application scenarios
+ in terms of system design. A complete list of practical use cases is
+ not the objective of this document.
+
+3.1. Industrial Monitoring
+
+ LoWPAN applications for industrial monitoring can be associated with
+ a broad range of methods to increase productivity, energy efficiency,
+ and safety of industrial operations in engineering facilities and
+ manufacturing plants. Many companies currently use time-consuming
+ and expensive manual monitoring to predict failures and to schedule
+ maintenance or replacements in order to avoid costly manufacturing
+ downtime. LoWPANs can be inexpensively installed to provide more
+ frequent and more reliable data. The deployment of LoWPANs can
+ reduce equipment downtime and eliminate manual equipment monitoring
+ that is costly to perform. Additionally, data analysis functionality
+ can be placed into the network, eliminating the need for manual data
+ transfer and analysis.
+
+ Industrial monitoring can be largely split into the following
+ application fields:
+
+ o Process Monitoring and Control: This application field combines
+ advanced energy metering and sub-metering technologies with
+ wireless sensor networking in order to optimize factory
+ operations, reduce peak demand, ultimately lower costs for energy,
+ avoid machine downtimes, and increase operation safety.
+
+ A plant's monitoring boundary often does not cover the entire
+ facility but only those areas considered critical to the process.
+ Wireless connectivity that is easy to install extends this line to
+ include peripheral areas and process measurements that were
+ previously infeasible or impractical to reach with wired
+ connections.
+
+ o Machine Surveillance: This application field ensures product
+ quality and efficient and safe equipment operation. Critical
+ equipment parameters such as vibration, temperature, and
+ electrical signature are analyzed for abnormalities that are
+ suggestive of impending equipment failure.
+
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+ o Supply Chain Management and Asset Tracking: With the retail
+ industry being legally responsible for the quality of sold goods,
+ early detection of inadequate storage conditions with respect to
+ temperature will reduce the risk and cost of removing products
+ from the sales channel. Examples include container shipping,
+ product identification, cargo monitoring, distribution, and
+ logistics.
+
+ o Storage Monitoring: This application field includes sensor systems
+ designed to prevent releases of regulated substances into ground
+ water, surface water, and soil. This application field may also
+ include theft/tampering prevention systems for storage facilities
+ or other infrastructure, such as pipelines.
+
+3.1.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Hospital Storage Rooms
+
+ In a hospital, maintenance of the right temperature in storage rooms
+ is very critical. Red blood cells need to be stored at 2 to 6
+ degrees Celsius, blood platelets at 20 to 24 degrees C, and blood
+ plasma below -18 degrees C. For anti-cancer medicine, maintaining a
+ humidity of 45% to 55% is required. Storage rooms have temperature
+ sensors and humidity sensors every 25 to 100 m, based on the floor
+ plan and the location of shelves, as indoor obstacles distort the
+ radio signals. At each blood pack, a sensor tag can be installed to
+ track the temperature during delivery. A LoWPAN node is installed in
+ each container of a set of blood packs. In this case, highly dense
+ networks must be managed.
+
+ All nodes are statically deployed and manually configured with either
+ a single- or multi-hop connection. Different types of LoWPAN nodes
+ are configured based on the service and network requirements. In
+ particular, LCs play a role in aggregation of the sensed data from
+ blood packs. In the extended networks, more than one LoWPAN LC can
+ be installed in a storage room. In the case that the sensed data
+ from an individual node is urgent event-driven data such as outrange
+ of temperature or humidity, it will not be accumulated (and further
+ delayed) by the LCs but immediately relayed.
+
+ All LoWPAN nodes do not move unless the blood packs or a container of
+ blood packs is moved. Moving nodes get connected by logical
+ attachment to a new LoWPAN. When containers of blood packs are
+ transferred to another place in the hospital or by ambulance, the
+ LoWPAN nodes on the containers associate to a new LoWPAN.
+
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+ This type of application works based on both periodic and
+ event-driven notifications. Periodic data is used for monitoring
+ temperature and humidity in the storage rooms. The data over or
+ under a predefined threshold is meaningful to report. Blood cannot
+ be used if it is exposed to the wrong environment for about 30
+ minutes. Thus, event-driven data sensed on abnormal occurrences is
+ time-critical and requires secure and reliable transmission.
+
+ LoWPANs must be provided with low installation and management costs,
+ and for the transportation of blood containers, precise location
+ tracking of containers is important. The hospital network manager or
+ staff can be provided with an early warning of possible chain
+ ruptures, for example, by conveniently accessing comprehensive online
+ reports and data management systems.
+
+ Dominant parameters in industrial monitoring scenarios:
+
+ o Deployment: Pre-planned, manually attached.
+
+ o Network Size: Medium to large size, high node density.
+
+ o Power Source: Battery-operated most of the time.
+
+ o Connectivity: Always on for crucial processes.
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: Multi-hop networking.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: P2P (actuator control), MP2P (data collection).
+
+ o Security Level: Business-critical. Secure transmission must be
+ guaranteed.
+
+ o Mobility: None (except for asset tracking).
+
+ o QoS: Important for time-critical event-driven data.
+
+ o Other Issues: Sensor network management, location tracking,
+ real-time early warning.
+
+3.1.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ The network configuration of the above use case can differ
+ substantially by system design. As illustrated in Figure 1, the
+ simplest way is to build a star topology inside of each storage room.
+ Based on the layout and size of the storage room, the LoWPAN can be
+ configured in a different way -- mesh topology -- as shown in
+ Figure 2.
+
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+ Each LoWPAN node may reach the LBR by a predefined routing/forwarding
+ mechanism. Each LoWPAN node configures its link-local address and
+ obtains a prefix from its LBR by a 6LoWPAN ND procedure [6]. LoWPAN
+ nodes need to build a multi-hop connection to reach the LCs and LBR.
+
+ Secure data transmission and authentication are crucial in a hospital
+ scenario, to prevent personal information from being retrieved by an
+ adversary. Confidential data must be encrypted not only in
+ transmission, but also when stored on nodes, because nodes can
+ potentially be stolen.
+
+ The data volume is usually not so large in this case, but is
+ sensitive to delay. Data aggregators can be installed for each
+ storage room, or just one data aggregator can collect all data. To
+ make a light transmission, UDP is likely to be chosen, but a secure
+ transmission and security mechanism must be added. To increase
+ security, link-layer mechanisms and/or additional security mechanisms
+ should be used.
+
+ Because a failure of a LoWPAN node can critically affect the storage
+ of the blood packs, network management is important in this use case.
+ A lightweight management mechanism must be provided for this
+ management.
+
+ The service quality of this case is highly related to effective
+ handling of event-driven data that is delay intolerant and mission
+ critical. Wrong humidity and wrong temperature are events that need
+ to be detected as quickly and reliably as possible. It is important
+ to provide efficient resource usage for such data with consideration
+ of minimal usage of energy. Energy-aware QoS support in wireless
+ sensor networks is a challenging issue [12]. It can be considered to
+ provide appropriate data aggregation for minimizing delay and
+ maximizing accuracy of delivery by using power-affluent nodes, or can
+ be aided by middleware or other types of network elements.
+
+ When a container is moved out of the storage room and connected to
+ another hospital system (if the hospital buildings are fully or
+ partly covered with LoWPANs), a mechanism to rebind to a new parent
+ node and a new LoWPAN must be supported. In the case that it is
+ moved by an ambulance, it will be connected to an LBR in the vehicle.
+ This type of mobility is supported by the 6LoWPAN ND and routing
+ mechanism.
+
+ LoWPANs must be provided with low installation and management costs,
+ providing benefits such as reduced inventory, and precise location
+ tracking of containers and mobile equipment (e.g., beds moved in the
+ hospital, ambulances).
+
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+ LBR
+ | LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ LC----------LC----------LC LC: Local Controller node
+ / | \ / | \ / | \ (Data Aggregator)
+ n n n n n n n n n n: LoWPAN node
+
+ Figure 1: Storage Rooms with a Simple Star Topology
+
+ +------------+-----------+
+ | | | LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ LBR LBR LBR (LC) LC: Local Controller node
+ | | | (Data Aggregator)
+ LC - n LC - n n n: LoWPAN node
+ / | | | | / \
+ n n - LC n - n - n n - n
+ | | \ | |\
+ n n n - n n n n
+
+ Figure 2: Storage Rooms with a Mesh Topology
+
+3.2. Structural Monitoring
+
+ Intelligent monitoring in facility management can make safety checks
+ and periodic monitoring of the architecture status highly efficient.
+ Mains-powered nodes can be included in the design phase of
+ construction, or battery-equipped nodes can be added afterwards. All
+ nodes are static and manually deployed. Some data is not critical
+ for security protection (such as periodic or query-driven
+ notification of normal room temperature), but event-driven emergency
+ data (such as a fire alarm) must be handled in a very critical
+ manner.
+
+3.2.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Bridge Safety Monitoring
+
+ A 1000-m-long concrete bridge with 10 pillars is described. Each
+ pillar and the bridge body contain 5 sensors to measure the water
+ level, and 5 vibration sensors are used to monitor its structural
+ health. The LoWPAN nodes are deployed to have 100-m line-of-sight
+ distance from each other. All nodes are placed statically and
+ manually configured with a single-hop connection to the local
+ coordinator. All LoWPAN nodes are immobile while the service is
+ provided. Except for the pillars, there are no special obstacles
+ causing attenuation of node signals, but careful configuration is
+ needed to prevent signal interference between LoWPAN nodes.
+
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+ The physical network topology is changed in case of node failure. On
+ the top part of each pillar, a sink node is placed to collect the
+ sensed data. The sink nodes of each pillar become data-gathering
+ points of the LoWPAN hosts at the pillar and act as local
+ coordinators.
+
+ This use case can be extended to medium or large sensor networks to
+ monitor a building or, for instance, the safety status of highways
+ and tunnels. Larger networks of the same kind still have similar
+ characteristics, such as static node placement and manual deployment;
+ depending on the blueprint of the structure, mesh topologies will be
+ built with mains-powered relay points. Periodic, query-driven, and
+ event-driven real-time data gathering is performed, and the emergency
+ event-driven data must be delivered without delay.
+
+ Dominant parameters in structural monitoring applications:
+
+ o Deployment: Static, organized, pre-planned.
+
+ o Network Size: Small (dozens of nodes) to large.
+
+ o Power Source: Mains-powered nodes are mixed with battery-powered
+ nodes. (Mains-powered nodes will be used for local coordination
+ or relays.)
+
+ o Connectivity: Always connected, or intermittent via sleeping mode
+ scheduling.
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: It is recommended that multi-hop mesh
+ networking be supported.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: MP2P (data collection), P2P (localized querying).
+
+ o Security Level: Safety-critical. Secure transmission must be
+ guaranteed. Only authenticated users must be able to access and
+ handle the data.
+
+ o Mobility: None.
+
+ o QoS: Emergency notification (fire, over-threshold vibrations,
+ water level, etc.) is required to have priority of delivery and
+ must be transmitted in a highly reliable manner.
+
+ o Other Issues: Accurate sensing and reliable transmission are
+ important. In addition, sensor status reports should be
+ maintained in a reliable monitoring system.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 13]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+3.2.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ The network configuration of this use case can be done via simple
+ topologies; however, there are many extended use cases for more
+ complex structures. The example bridge monitoring case may be the
+ simplest case. (An example topology is illustrated in Figure 3.)
+
+ The LoWPAN nodes are installed in place after manual optimization of
+ their location. As the communication of the leaf LoWPAN nodes may be
+ limited to the data-gathering points, both 16-bit and 64-bit
+ addresses can be used for IPv6 link-local addresses [3].
+
+ Each pillar might have one LC for data collection. Communication
+ schedules should be set up between leaf nodes and their LC to
+ efficiently gather the different types of sensed data. Each data
+ packet may include meta-information about its data, or the type of
+ sensors could be encoded in its address during address allocation.
+
+ This type of application works based on periodic, query-driven, and
+ event-driven notifications. The data over or under a predefined
+ threshold is meaningful to report. Event-driven data sensed on
+ abnormal occurrences is time-critical and requires secure and
+ reliable transmission. Alternatively, for energy conservation, all
+ nodes may have periodic and long sleep modes but wake up on certain
+ events. To ensure the reliability of such emergency event-driven
+ data, such data is immediately relayed to a power-affluent or
+ mains-powered node that usually takes a LoWPAN router role and does
+ not go into a long sleep status. The data-gathering entity can be
+ programmed to trigger actuators installed in the infrastructure when
+ a certain threshold value has been reached.
+
+ Due to the safety-critical data of the structure, authentication and
+ security are important issues here. Only authenticated users must be
+ allowed to access the data. Additional security should be provided
+ at the LBR for restricting access from outside of the LoWPAN. The
+ LBR may take charge of authentication of LoWPAN nodes. Reliable and
+ secure data transmission must be guaranteed.
+
+ LBR - LC ----- LC ------ LC LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ /| | | LC: Local Controller node
+ n n n - n - n n - n n: LoWPAN node
+ /\ | | | |
+ n n n - n n - n - n
+
+ Figure 3: A Bridge Monitoring Scenario
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 14]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+3.3. Connected Home
+
+ The "Connected" Home or "Smart" home is without doubt an area where
+ LoWPANs can be used to support an increasing number of services:
+
+ o Home safety/security
+
+ o Home automation and control
+
+ o Healthcare (see Section 3.4)
+
+ o Smart appliances and home entertainment systems
+
+ In home environments, LoWPANs typically comprise a few dozen and,
+ probably in the near future, a few hundred nodes of various types:
+ sensors, actuators, and connected objects.
+
+3.3.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Home Automation
+
+ The home automation and control system LoWPAN offers a wide range of
+ services: local or remote access from the Internet (via a secured
+ edge router) to monitor the home (temperature, humidity, activation
+ of remote video surveillance, status of the doors (locked or open),
+ etc.), as well as home control (activate air conditioning/heating,
+ door locks, sprinkler systems, etc.). Fairly sophisticated systems
+ can also optimize the level of energy consumption, thanks to a wide
+ range of input from various sensors connected to the LoWPAN -- light
+ sensors, presence detection, temperature, etc. -- in order to control
+ electric window shades, chillers, air flow control, air conditioning,
+ and heating.
+
+ With the emergence of "Smart Grid" applications, the LoWPAN may also
+ have direct interactions with the Grid itself via the Internet to
+ report the amount of kilowatts that could be load-shed (home to Grid)
+ and to receive dynamic load-shedding information if/when required
+ (Grid to home): This application is also referred to as a
+ Demand-Response application. Another service, known as Demand-Side
+ Management (DSM), could be provided by utilities to monitor and
+ report to the user his energy consumption, with a fine granularity
+ (on a per-device basis). A user can also receive other inputs from
+ the utility, such as dynamic pricing; according to local policy, the
+ utility may then turn some appliances on or off in order to reduce
+ its energy bill.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 15]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ In terms of home safety and security, the LoWPAN is made up of motion
+ sensors and audio sensors, sensors at doors and windows, and video
+ cameras; additional sensors can be added for safety (gas, water, CO,
+ Radon, smoke detection). The LoWPAN is typically comprised of a few
+ dozen nodes forming an ad hoc network with multi-hop routing, since
+ the nodes may not be in direct range. It is worth mentioning that
+ the number of devices tends to grow, considering the number of new
+ applications for the home. In its simplest form, all nodes are
+ static and communicate with a central control module, but more
+ sophisticated scenarios may also involve inter-device communication.
+ For example, a motion/presence sensor may send a multicast message to
+ a group of lights to be switched on, or a video camera may be
+ activated to send a video stream to a cell phone via a gateway.
+
+ Ergonomics in connected homes is key, and the LoWPAN must be
+ self-managed and easy to install. Traffic patterns may vary greatly,
+ depending on applicability; so does the level of reliability and QoS
+ expected from the LoWPAN. Humidity sensing is typically not critical
+ and requires no immediate action, whereas tele-assistance or gas-leak
+ detection is critical and requires a high degree of reliability.
+ Furthermore, although some actions may not involve critical data, the
+ response time and network delays must still be on the order of a few
+ hundred milliseconds for optimal user experience (e.g., use a remote
+ control to switch a light on). A minority of nodes are mobile (with
+ slow motion). With the emergence of energy-related applications, it
+ becomes crucial to preserve data confidentiality. Connected home
+ LoWPANs usually do not require multi-topology or QoS routing. Fairly
+ simple QoS mechanisms are enough for handling emergency data; they
+ can be programmed to alarm via actuators or to operate sprinklers.
+
+ Dominant parameters for home automation applications:
+
+ o Deployment: Multi-hop topologies.
+
+ o Network Size: Medium number of nodes, potentially high density.
+
+ o Power Source: Mix of battery-powered and mains-powered devices.
+
+ o Connectivity: Intermittent (usage-dependent sleep modes).
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: No requirement for multi-topology or QoS
+ routing.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: P2P (inter-device), P2MP, and MP2P (polling).
+
+ o Security Level: Authentication and encryption required.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 16]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ o Mobility: Some degree of mobility.
+
+ o QoS: Support of limited QoS for emergency data (alarm).
+
+3.3.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ In the home automation use case, the network topology is made of a
+ mix of battery-operated and mains-powered nodes that communicate with
+ each other. An LBR provides connectivity to the outside world for
+ control management (Figure 4).
+
+ In the home network, installation and management must be extremely
+ simple for the user. Link-local IPv6 addresses can be used by nodes
+ with no external communication, and the LBR allocates routable
+ addresses to communicate with other LoWPAN nodes not reachable over a
+ single radio transmission.
+
+ n --- n
+ | | LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ Internet/ ----- LBR/LC -- n --- n ---- LC LC: Local Controller node
+ Utility network | | /|\ n: LoWPAN node
+ n ---- n n n n
+
+ (outside) (home automation system)
+
+ Figure 4: Home Automation Scenario
+
+ In some scenarios, traffic will be sent to a LC for processing; the
+ LC may in turn decide on local actions (switch a light on, ...). In
+ other scenarios, all devices will send their data to the LCs, which
+ in turn may also act as the LBR for data processing and potential
+ relay of data outside of the LoWPAN. It does not mean that all
+ devices communicate with each other via the LC and LBR. For the sake
+ of illustration, some of the data may be processed to trigger local
+ action (e.g., switch off an appliance), simply store and send data
+ once enough data has been accumulated (e.g., energy consumption for
+ the past 6 hours for a set of appliances), or trigger an alarm that
+ is immediately sent to a datacenter (e.g., gas-leak detection).
+
+ Although in the majority of cases nodes within the LoWPAN will be in
+ direct range, some nodes will reach the LBR/LC with a path of 2-3
+ hops (with the emergence of several low-power media, such as
+ low-power PLC) in which case LoWPAN routers will be deployed in the
+ home to interconnect the various IPv6 links.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 17]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ The home LoWPAN must be able to provide extremely reliable
+ communication in support of some specific applications (e.g., fire,
+ gas-leak detection, health monitoring), whereas other applications
+ may not be critical (e.g., humidity monitoring). Such emergency data
+ has the same QoS issues as does event-driven data in other
+ applications and can be delivered by pre-defined paths through
+ mains-powered nodes without being stored in intermediate nodes such
+ as LCs. Similarly, some information may require the use of security
+ mechanisms for authentication and confidentiality.
+
+3.4. Healthcare
+
+ LoWPANs are envisioned to be heavily used in healthcare environments.
+ They have a high potential for easing the deployment of new services
+ by getting rid of cumbersome wires and simplifying patient care in
+ hospitals and at home (home care). In healthcare environments,
+ delayed or lost information may be a matter of life or death.
+
+ Various systems, ranging from simple wearable remote controls for
+ tele-assistance or intermediate systems with wearable sensor nodes
+ monitoring various metrics to more complex systems for studying life
+ dynamics, can be supported by LoWPANs. In the latter category, a
+ large amount of data from various LoWPAN nodes can be collected:
+ movement pattern observation, checks that medicaments have been
+ taken, object tracking, and more. An example of such a deployment is
+ described in [10] using the concept of "personal networks".
+
+3.4.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Healthcare at Home by Tele-Assistance
+
+ A senior citizen who lives alone wears one to several wearable LoWPAN
+ nodes to measure heartbeat, pulse rate, etc. Dozens of LoWPAN nodes
+ are densely installed at home for movement detection. An LBR at home
+ will send the sensed information to a connected healthcare center.
+ Portable base stations with LCDs may be used to check the data at
+ home, as well. The different roles of devices have different duty
+ cycles, which affect node management.
+
+ Multipath interference may often occur due to the mobility of
+ patients at home, where there are many walls and obstacles. Even
+ during sleep, the change of body position may affect radio
+ propagation.
+
+ Data is gathered in both periodic and event-driven fashion. In this
+ application, event-driven data can be very time-critical. Thus,
+ real-time and reliable transmission must be guaranteed.
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 18]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ Privacy also becomes a serious issue in this case, as the sensed data
+ is very personal. A small set of secret keys can be shared within
+ the sensor nodes during bootstrapping procedures in order to build a
+ secure link without using much memory and energy. In addition,
+ different data will be provided to the hospital system from that
+ given to a patient's family members. Role-based access control is
+ needed to support such services; thus, support of authorization and
+ authentication is important.
+
+ Dominant parameters in healthcare applications:
+
+ o Deployment: Pre-planned.
+
+ o Network Size: Small, high node density.
+
+ o Power Source: Hybrid.
+
+ o Connectivity: Always on.
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: Multi-hop for home-care devices;
+ patient's body network is star topology. Multipath interference
+ due to walls and obstacles at home must be considered.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: MP2P/P2MP (data collection), P2P (local
+ diagnostic).
+
+ o Security Level: Data privacy and security must be provided.
+ Encryption is required. It is required that role-based access
+ control be supported by a lightweight authentication mechanism.
+
+ o Mobility: Moderate (patient's mobility).
+
+ o QoS: High level of reliability support (life-or-death
+ implication), role-based.
+
+ o Other Issues: Plug-and-play configuration is required for mainly
+ non-technical end-users. Real-time data acquisition and analysis
+ are important. Efficient data management is needed for various
+ devices that have different duty cycles, and for role-based data
+ control. Reliability and robustness of the network are also
+ essential.
+
+3.4.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ In this use case, the local network size is rather small (say, 10
+ nodes or less). The home care system is statically configured with
+ multi-hop paths, and the patient's body network can be built as a
+ star topology. The LBR at home is the sink node in the routing path
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 19]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ from sources on the patient's body. A plug-and-play configuration is
+ required. As the communication of the system is limited to a home
+ environment, both 16-bit and 64-bit addresses can be used for IPv6
+ link-local addresses [3]. An example topology is provided in
+ Figure 5.
+
+ The patient's body network can be simply configured as a star
+ topology with a LC dealing with data aggregation and dynamic network
+ attachment when the patient moves around at home. As multipath
+ interference may often occur due to the patient's mobility at home,
+ the deployment of LoWPAN nodes and transmission paths should be well
+ considered. At home, some nodes can be installed with
+ power-affluence status, and those LoWPAN nodes can be used for
+ relaying points or data aggregation points.
+
+ The sensed information must be maintained with the identification of
+ the patient, no matter whether the patient visits the connected
+ hospital or stays at home. If the patient's LoWPAN uses a globally
+ unique IPv6 address, the address can be used for patient
+ identification. However, this incurs a cost in terms of privacy and
+ security. The hospital LoWPAN to which the patient's information is
+ transferred needs to operate an additional identification system,
+ together with a strong authority and authentication mechanism. The
+ connection between the LBR at home and the LBR at the hospital must
+ be reliable and secure, as the data is privacy-critical. To achieve
+ this, an additional policy for security between the two LoWPANs is
+ recommended.
+
+ n - n I: Internet
+ | | LBR: Edge Router
+ LBR --- I -- LBR - n - n - LC LC: Local Controller node
+ /|\ | | /|\ n: LoWPAN node
+ .. . .. n -- n n n n
+
+ (hospital) (home system) (patient)
+
+ Figure 5: A Mobile Healthcare Scenario
+
+3.5. Vehicle Telematics
+
+ LoWPANs play an important role in intelligent transportation systems.
+ Incorporated into roads, vehicles, and traffic signals, they
+ contribute to the improvement of safety in transportation systems.
+ Through traffic or air-quality monitoring, they increase the
+ possibility of traffic flow optimization, and they help reduce road
+ congestion.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 20]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+3.5.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Telematics
+
+ As shown in Figure 6, LoWPAN nodes for motion monitoring are
+ incorporated into roads during road construction. When a car passes
+ over these nodes, it is then possible to track, for safety purposes,
+ the trajectory (path) and velocity of the car.
+
+ The lifetime of LoWPAN nodes incorporated into roads is expected to
+ be as long as the lifetime of the roads (about 10 years). Multi-hop
+ communication is possible between LoWPAN nodes, and the network
+ should be able to cope with the deterioration over time of node
+ density due to power failures. Sink nodes placed at the side of the
+ road are most likely mains-powered; LoWPAN nodes in the roads run on
+ batteries. Power-saving schemes might intermittently disconnect the
+ nodes. A rough estimate of 4 nodes per square meter is needed.
+ Other applications may involve car-to-car communication for increased
+ road safety.
+
+ Dominant parameters in vehicle telematics applications:
+
+ o Deployment: Pre-planned (road, vehicle).
+
+ o Network Size: Large (road infrastructure), small (vehicle).
+
+ o Power Source: Hybrid.
+
+ o Connectivity: Intermittent.
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: Multi-hop, especially ad hoc.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: Mostly MP2P, P2MP.
+
+ o Security Level: Handling physical damage and link failure.
+
+ o Mobility: None (road infrastructure), high (vehicle).
+
+3.5.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ For this use case, the network topology includes fixed LBRs that are
+ mains-powered and have a connection to high-speed networks (e.g., the
+ Internet) in order to reach the transportation control center
+ (Figure 6). These LBRs may be logically combined with a LC as a data
+ sink to gather sensed data from a number of LoWPAN nodes inserted in
+ the road pavement. In the road infrastructure, a LoWPAN with one LBR
+ forms a fixed network, and the LoWPAN nodes are installed by manual
+ optimization of their location.
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 21]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ +-----+
+ | LBR |--------------------------- LBR ...
+ +-----+ (at the roadside)
+ -------|------------------------------
+ |
+ n -- n --- n --- n +---|---+ LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ / \ | | n-n-n | n: LoWPAN node
+ n n n +---|---+
+ (cars)
+ --------------------------------------
+
+ Figure 6: Telematics Scenario
+
+ Given the fact that nodes are incorporated into the road, tampering
+ with sensors is difficult for an adversary. However, the application
+ must be robust against possible attacks and node failures. Sensed
+ data should thus be used primarily for monitoring purposes, not to
+ instruct (and potentially mislead) traffic participants.
+
+3.6. Agricultural Monitoring
+
+ Accurate temporal and spatial monitoring can significantly increase
+ agricultural productivity. Due to natural limitations, such as a
+ farmer's inability to check crops at all times of the day, or
+ inadequate measurement tools, luck often plays too large a role in
+ the success of harvests. Using a network of strategically placed
+ sensors, indicators such as temperature, humidity, and soil condition
+ can be automatically monitored without labor-intensive field
+ measurements. For example, sensor networks could provide precise
+ information about crops in real time, enabling businesses to reduce
+ water, energy, and pesticide usage and enhancing environmental
+ protection. The sensing data can be used to find optimal
+ environments for the plants. In addition, the data on planting
+ conditions can be saved by sensor tags, which can be used in
+ supply-chain management.
+
+3.6.1. A Use Case and Its Requirements
+
+ Example: Automated Vineyard
+
+ In a vineyard of medium to large geographical size, between 50 and
+ 100 LC nodes are manually deployed in order to provide full signal
+ coverage over the study area. An additional 100 to 1000 leaf nodes
+ with (possibly heterogeneous) specialized sensors (i.e., humidity,
+ temperature, soil condition, sunlight) are attached to the LCs in
+ local wireless star topologies, periodically reporting measurements
+ to the associated LCs. For example, in a 20-acre vineyard with 8
+ parcels of land, 10 LoWPAN nodes are placed within each parcel to
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 22]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ provide readings on temperature and soil moisture. The LoWPAN nodes
+ are able to support a multi-hop forwarding/routing scheme to enable
+ data transmission to a sink node at the edge of the vineyard. Each
+ of the 8 parcels contains one data aggregator to collect the sensed
+ data.
+
+ Localization is important for this type of LoWPAN when installed in a
+ geographically large area, in order to pin down where an event
+ occurred, and to combine gathered data with the actual positions of
+ the devices. Using manual deployment, device addresses can be used
+ for identifying their position and localization. For randomly
+ deployed nodes, a localization algorithm needs to be applied.
+
+ There might be various types of sensor devices deployed in a single
+ LoWPAN, each providing raw data with different semantics. Thus, an
+ additional method is required to correctly interpret sensor readings.
+ Each data packet may include meta-information about its data, or the
+ type of sensor could be encoded in its address during address
+ allocation.
+
+ Dominant parameters in agricultural monitoring:
+
+ o Deployment: Pre-planned.
+
+ The nodes are installed outdoors or in a greenhouse, with high
+ exposure to water, soil, and dust, in dynamic environments of
+ moving people and machinery, and with growing crops and foliage.
+ LoWPAN nodes can be deployed in a predefined manner, with
+ consideration given to harsh environments.
+
+ o Network Size: Medium to large, low to medium density.
+
+ o Power Source: All nodes are battery-powered except the sink, or
+ energy harvesting.
+
+ o Connectivity: Intermittent (many sleeping nodes).
+
+ o Multi-Hop Communication: Mesh topology with local star
+ connections.
+
+ o Traffic Pattern: Mainly MP2P/P2MP. P2P actuator triggering.
+
+ o Security Level: Depends on purpose of the business. Lightweight
+ security or simple shared-key management can be used, depending on
+ the purpose of the business.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 23]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ o Mobility: All static.
+
+ o Other Issues: Time synchronization among sensors is required, but
+ the traffic interval may not be frequent (e.g., once every 30 to
+ 60 minutes).
+
+3.6.2. 6LoWPAN Applicability
+
+ The network configuration in this use case might, in the simplest
+ case, look like the configuration illustrated in Figure 7. This
+ static scenario consists of one or more fixed LBRs that are
+ mains-powered and have a high-bandwidth connection to a backbone
+ link, which might be placed in a control center or connected to the
+ Internet. The LBRs are strategically located at the border of
+ vineyard parcels, acting as data sinks. A number of LCs are placed
+ along a row of plants with individual LoWPAN nodes spread around
+ them.
+
+ While the LBRs implement the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery protocol
+ (RFC 4861 [1]) to connect to the outside of the LoWPAN, the LoWPAN
+ nodes operate a more energy-conserving ND described in [6], which
+ includes basic bootstrapping and address assignment. Each LBR can
+ have predefined forward management information to a central data
+ aggregation point, if necessary.
+
+ LoWPAN nodes may send event-driven notifications when readings exceed
+ certain thresholds, such as low soil humidity, which may
+ automatically trigger a water sprinkler in the local environment.
+ For increased energy efficiency, all LoWPAN nodes are in periodic
+ sleep state. However, the LCs need to be aware of sudden events from
+ the leaf nodes. Their sleep periods should therefore be set to
+ shorter intervals. Communication schedules must be set up between
+ master and leaf nodes, and time synchronization is needed to account
+ for clock drift.
+
+ Also, the result of data collection may activate actuators. Context
+ awareness, node identification, and data collection at the
+ application level are necessary.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 24]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ I
+ |
+ | n n n n n n n n n I: Internet
+ | \|/ \|/ \|/ LBR: LoWPAN Border Router
+ LBR----LC------LC------LC LC: Local Controller node
+ | /|\ /|\ /|\ n: LoWPAN node
+ | n n n n n n n n n
+ |
+ LBR
+ ...
+
+ Figure 7: Automated Vineyard Scenario
+
+4. Security Considerations
+
+ Relevant security considerations are listed by application scenario
+ in Section 3. The security considerations in RFC 4919 [2] and
+ RFC 4944 [3] apply as well.
+
+ The physical exposure of LoWPAN nodes (especially in outdoor
+ networks) allows an adversary to capture, clone, tamper with, or even
+ destroy these devices. Given the safety issues involved in some use
+ cases, these threats place high demands for resiliency and
+ survivability upon the LoWPAN. The generally wireless channels of
+ LoWPANs are susceptible to several security threats. Without proper
+ security measures, confidential information might be snooped by a
+ "man in the middle". An attacker might also modify or introduce data
+ packets into the network -- for example, to manipulate sensor
+ readings or to take control of sensors and actuators. This
+ specification expects that the link layer is sufficiently protected,
+ either by means of physical or IP security for the backbone link or
+ with MAC sublayer cryptography. However, link-layer encryption and
+ authentication may not be sufficient to provide confidentiality,
+ authentication, integrity, and freshness to both data and signaling
+ packets.
+
+ Due to their low-power nature, LoWPANs are especially vulnerable to
+ denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Example DoS attacks include
+ attempts to drain a node's battery by excessive querying or to
+ introduce a high-power jamming signal that makes LoWPAN nodes
+ dysfunctional. Security solutions must therefore be lightweight and
+ support node authentication, so that message integrity can be
+ guaranteed and misbehaving nodes can be denied participation in the
+ network. A node must authenticate itself to trusted nodes before
+ taking part in the LoWPAN.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 25]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ Considering the power constraints and limited processing capabilities
+ of IEEE 802.15.4 devices, IPsec is computationally expensive;
+ Internet key exchange (IKEv2) messaging as described in [4] is not
+ suited for LoWPANs, as the amount of signaling in these networks
+ should be minimized. Thus, LoWPANs may need to define their own
+ key-management method that requires minimum overhead in terms of
+ packet size and message exchange [11]. IPsec provides authentication
+ and confidentiality between end nodes and across multiple LoWPAN
+ links, and may be useful only when two nodes want to apply security
+ to all exchanged messages. However, in many cases, the security may
+ be requested at the application layer as needed, while other messages
+ can flow in the network without security overhead. Recent work [13]
+ shows some promise for minimal IKEv2 implementations.
+
+ Security requirements may differ by use case. For example,
+ industrial and structural monitoring applications are safety-critical
+ and secure transmission must be guaranteed, so that only
+ authenticated users are able to access and handle the data. In
+ healthcare systems, data privacy is an important issue. Encryption
+ is required, and role-based access control is needed for proper
+ authentication. In home automation scenarios, critical applications
+ such as door locks require high security and robustness against
+ intrusion. On the other hand, a remote-controlled light switch has
+ no critical security threats.
+
+5. Acknowledgements
+
+ Special thanks to Nicolas Chevrollier for participating in the
+ initial design of the document. Also, thanks to David Cypher for
+ giving more insight on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, and to Irene
+ Fernandez, Shoichi Sakane, and Paul Chilton for their review and
+ valuable comments.
+
+6. References
+
+6.1. Normative References
+
+ [1] Narten, T., Nordmark, E., Simpson, W., and H. Soliman,
+ "Neighbor Discovery for IP version 6 (IPv6)", RFC 4861,
+ September 2007.
+
+ [2] Kushalnagar, N., Montenegro, G., and C. Schumacher, "IPv6 over
+ Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPANs): Overview,
+ Assumptions, Problem Statement, and Goals", RFC 4919,
+ August 2007.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 26]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+ [3] Montenegro, G., Kushalnagar, N., Hui, J., and D. Culler,
+ "Transmission of IPv6 Packets over IEEE 802.15.4 Networks",
+ RFC 4944, September 2007.
+
+ [4] Kaufman, C., Hoffman, P., Nir, Y., and P. Eronen, "Internet Key
+ Exchange Protocol Version 2 (IKEv2)", RFC 5996, September 2010.
+
+ [5] IEEE Computer Society, "IEEE Standard for Local and
+ Metropolitan Area Networks -- Part 15.4: Low-Rate Wireless
+ Personal Area Networks (LR-WPANs)", IEEE Std. 802.15.4-2011,
+ September 2011.
+
+6.2. Informative References
+
+ [6] Shelby, Z., Ed., Chakrabarti, S., and E. Nordmark, "Neighbor
+ Discovery Optimization for Low Power and Lossy Networks
+ (6LoWPAN)", Work in Progress, October 2011.
+
+ [7] Hui, J., Ed., and P. Thubert, "Compression Format for IPv6
+ Datagrams over IEEE 802.15.4-Based Networks", RFC 6282,
+ September 2011.
+
+ [8] Kim, E., Kaspar, D., Gomez, C., and C. Bormann, "Problem
+ Statement and Requirements for 6LoWPAN Routing", Work
+ in Progress, November 2011.
+
+ [9] Roemer, K. and F. Mattern, "The Design Space of Wireless Sensor
+ Networks", IEEE Wireless Communications, Vol. 11, No. 6,
+ pp. 54-61, December 2004.
+
+ [10] den Hartog, F., Schmidt, J., and A. de Vries, "On the potential
+ of personal networks for hospitals", International Journal of
+ Medical Informatics, 75, pp. 658-663, May 2006.
+
+ [11] Dutertre, B., Cheung, S., and J. Levy, "Lightweight Key
+ Management in Wireless Sensor Networks by Leveraging Initial
+ Trust", SDL Technical Report SRI-SDL-04-02, April 2004.
+
+ [12] Chen, D. and P.K. Varshney, "QoS Support in Wireless Sensor
+ Networks: A Survey", Proc. 2004 Int. Conf. Wireless
+ Networks (ICWN 2004), June 2004.
+
+ [13] Kivinen, T., "Minimal IKEv2", Work in Progress, February 2011.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 27]
+
+RFC 6568 6LoWPAN Design and Applications April 2012
+
+
+Authors' Addresses
+
+ Eunsook Kim
+ ETRI
+ 161 Gajeong-dong
+ Yuseong-gu
+ Daejeon 305-700
+ Korea
+
+ Phone: +82-42-860-6124
+ EMail: eunah.ietf@gmail.com
+
+
+ Dominik Kaspar
+ Simula Research Laboratory
+ Martin Linges v 17
+ Snaroya 1367
+ Norway
+
+ Phone: +47-6782-8200
+ EMail: dokaspar.ietf@gmail.com
+
+
+ JP. Vasseur
+ Cisco Systems, Inc.
+ 1414 Massachusetts Avenue
+ Boxborough, MA 01719
+ USA
+
+ EMail: jpv@cisco.com
+
+
+
+
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+Kim, et al. Informational [Page 28]
+