Communication Protocols

Earlier we discussed the data communications protocols required to support IoT such as IP, TCP/IP and innovations such as DTN. These are the data protocols that transport the packets from one host to another; however, we still need an efficient method of communications between hosts, I.E a common language that both the sensors and controllers can use. Therefore, for IoT we need a lightweight but scalable protocol for
host/sensor communications. In fact, what we need for IoT is a universal protocol that is lightweight, standard, loosely coupled, flexible and simple, as we will be connecting many diverse heterogeneous devices and sensors. Not surprisingly, we already have such a suite of protocols – the web.

The internet web protocols already exist and are acceptable to the community such as, HTTP, XML, TCP, IPv6, JSON, RSS, ATOM, REST, WS-*, URL, etc.

We can utilize URL to identify our service, device and sensor endpoints uniquely and make them addressable. XML, REST and WS-* can then be utilized to expose the features and capabilities of the sensors or devices via web services that will allow them to communicate with external or centralized gateways or services.