Making Sense of M2M and IoT
MIKE HORTON
Making Sense of M2M and IoT
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Making Sense of M2M and IoT
WELCOME
Y
ou have likely seen these acronyms and terms splashed around technology media and marketing materials with increasing frequency: M2M, IoT, IoE, SCADA, WoT, Telematics, Connected World, and Industrial Internet. What
exactly do they mean? Are they the same thing? One-offs created by different companies in the connected Internet space? Are they all really just mobile computing or embedded systems with associated network and cloud services? The market for M2M and IoT is set to explode
your computer at home and your mobile phone.
soon by all industry accounts. No need to rehash
Embedded systems/devices differ from the
and beat the drum of such prognostications, but
classic understanding of a personal computer
this does seem likely to happen.
(PC) in that all components needed for the system’s core operation are soldered, or
This paper aims to provide a midlevel,
“embedded,” directly onto the device’s circuit
comprehensive, and somewhat nontechnical
board(s), and for all intents and purposes
set of answers to these questions as well as a
sealed in a casing enclosure never to be
technical view of the entire associated landscape
changed or altered.
involved with M2M and IoT systems. The reader should be able to better understand
Embedded systems like the PCs we are more
the technology underpinnings as well as future
familiar with have smarts in the form of
associated elements associated with these
processors and microcontrollers; software for
system solutions.
base application functionality and sometimes operating systems; input and output in the
Before we discuss terms such as machine-to-
form of screens, keypads, cables, and wireless
machine (M2M) and Internet-of-Things (IoT), it is
modems; and storage in the form of Read
first necessary to have a decent understanding
Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory
of embedded systems and how they relate to
(RAM), and flash RAM.
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Making Sense of M2M and IoT
Mobile smartphones, for example, are embedded
perform its function, but this firmware image is
systems, though they have more or less become
not meant to be readily user modifiable. On the
their own class of personal computing device
other hand, the PC is much more dynamic in this
given the amount of user interaction, dynamic
regard, as the operating system can be installed
functionality and customization supported and
easily in addition to many third-party applications
the raw horsepower they now have. They are
built to run on that operating platform.
now truly smartphones compared with those from earlier days. What differentiates embedded systems from one another are their levels of architectural complexity, computing horsepower, and operating platform. This holds true whether you are considering a mobile handset, your car’s computer control system, or your LCD TV, as just a few examples. What distinguishes an embedded system from a PC more or less comes down to three primary design characteristics: firmware, system interaction, and system modification. First, an embedded system uses a firmware image of the operating platform that is written to static ROM. This firmware image will contain all the software the system needs to operate and
What distinguishes an embedded system from a PC more or less comes down to three primary design characteristics: firmware, system interaction, and system modification.
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Second, the extent of direct user interaction with each one is different. With a PC, the user has a screen and a keyboard to directly interact with the operating platform and applications, whether through a rich graphical or command line user interface. Alternately, an embedded system will usually not have this at all, and if it does, it will often be a minimal, and even secondary, advanced interaction capability. The last differentiating characteristic is the amount of direct hardware customization
What begins to differentiate the device as
allowed. A PC was designed to be modified
machine-to-machine is that the embedded
and customized—from the software to the
system often communicates with another
internal boards, the case, and the chips
embedded system as a peer or gateway before
themselves. An embedded system is designed
backhauling to a server somewhere else. Put
and manufactured to be more or less set in
simply, take an embedded system and put a
construction, with an enclosure and design
serial, Ethernet, WIFI, ZigBee, cellular, or other
sealed, or at least not readily supporting internal
link on it so that it can talk intelligently with
modification by the user.
another embedded system, but without any user interfaces, and you have an M2M system,
These differences are not hard rules of
hence the machine-to-machine term.
distinction, as the lines are blurred in various ways with computing systems, but they are
Another way to think about M2M is to imagine
important to consider.
that the machines are doing the talking to other machines doing the listening. Sometimes, this
M2M = Embedded
is between other device nodes, and sometimes this is communicating directly back to a server
A device considered part of an M2M system
receiving the data. And they are doing so as
will be the classic embedded system as was
part a complete system designed for a specific
discussed above; and an embedded device that
function or operation; their primary roles are
is “field deployed� as compared with a server in
not defined as computing systems composed of
a data center.
people-interacting interfaces and functions.
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Making Sense of M2M and IoT
m2m technology surface logical breakout
Figure 1: This logical breakout of M2M/IoT technology and systems depicts the possible core components of the embedded device as well as the possible communications interconnects and back-end services interactions often involved with a complete system solution.
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In its truest form, an M2M device is an
area network (PAN/LAN). This state data could
embedded system that communicates
then be communicated longer distances as
symbiotically with another embedded system
required to more powerful computing systems
or systems during its primary functions. Think
over Wide Area Networks (WAN) using wired or
small devices in a mesh network that do not
wireless links.
have any sort of user interface or keyboard, etc. M2M systems may also communicate either M2M systems are often deriving data from
directly among themselves, directly to back-end
directly (same board, enclosure) or indirectly
servers, or through a gateway node for the LAN/
attached sensors and actuators of varying types
WAN backhaul connection.
as part of their system purpose. This data will frequently determine and affect different
Although M2M systems use wired connections as
environmental, operational, and physical states
well as different forms of wireless connection for
of the device and system as a whole.
both local and wide area connections, they are becoming increasingly associated with a cellular
This state data, more formally called telemetry
connection. This is particularly true for gateway-
data, is received in the embedded M2M
class embedded devices that afford more robust
controller and then communicated to other
processing and have directly connected or
similar control systems in a personal or local
rechargeable power. These cellular connections
m2M/IOT end-to-end primary system components
Figure 2: The diagram depicts a typical logical connection chain, from device to back-end servers and the primary elements of those connections to be considered at each leg.
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can act as either a primary or a secondary link-
of the primary industry segments that M2M is
point to a wide area network.
actively used in or seen to be moving into more heavily in the future:
M2M System Uses and Markets M2M systems serve many different roles
• Automotive
today, which have been further enabled by the
• Banking & Payment
expanding capabilities of cellular and satellite
• Consumer Electronics
communications. Roles that were previously
• Field Service
more difficult to serve because of their
• Government & Military
remoteness are now more easily connected.
• Healthcare
This relationship, coupled with the dominance of
• Home Automation
the WAN and Internet, has continued to propel
• Industrial Control Systems
M2M on an ever-steeper growth trajectory.
• Remote Monitoring • Remote Security
As an example, a list of common M2M uses for
• Supply Chain
consideration includes the following:
• Utilities & Smart Metering
•
Positioning and tracking vehicles and goods
•
Automated system malfunction alerts
•
Collection and transmission of in-field telematics data
•
Facility intrusion alerting and monitoring
•
Monitoring and management of industrial systems
•
Notification and reporting of vending/ kiosk machine operation
M2M devices actively serve a broad range of industries today. The list below identifies some
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potential m2M/IOT communication technology applications
Figure 3: This image shows the possible communication technologies that could be considered and utilized at the different “legs” of an end-to-end M2M system. The dotted boxes represent services and connections that may not exist in a solution; see figure 4 for more relevant connection examples.
M2M Communications Architectures
communication module could be wireless, wired, or both as well as cellular-based
An M2M end-node device can be classified
or not, depending on local and wide area
into three primary categories: sensor/actuator,
communications needs. A complete M2M
control system, and gateway. Each of these
solution could also utilize all three types
M2M device types would have some sort of
integrated together as a single “system.”
communications module integrated. The
Both stand-alone and integrated
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Making Sense of M2M and IoT
communications modules exist for the various
The M2M device will be associated with a
types of radio frequency (RF) communication
cellular network and a business customer as
needs. The communications module in a
the owner of the cellular account, just like a
device will often integrate either cellular or
consumer mobile handset is today. And like
Personal Area Network/Local Area Network
mobile handsets, an M2M device will also use
(PAN/LAN) RF and sometimes, though rarely,
a particular cellular access point name (APN)
both. This is beginning to change, however,
for the data connection, though for an M2M
as chipmakers are designing more robust and
device it may be using a custom APN gateway
flexible communications chips. Still, the “bill of
associated with that business customer.
materials” (or BOM) cost considerations are king.
Where things diverge a little is where the data connection goes once it leaves the carrier’s (or
Cellular Connectivity
MVNO’s) cellular data core.
M2M devices that utilize a cellular modem for communications operate in the same way as any other mobile handset. The M2M device’s operating system will use the cellular modem, which will establish and maintain a cellular connection—GSM, UMTS, or LTE in the Americas for the most part—to a cellular tower near where the device is operating. That cellular tower will communicate back to a mobile switching center and into a network data core for associated accounting, cost, access, and service functions.
The M2M device will be associated with a cellular network and a business customer as the owner of the cellular account, just like a consumer mobile handset is today. “
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From a mobile carrier’s point of view, the tip of the spear in the M2M devices space is the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, or more accurately, the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). This is also in terms of cellular GSM networks, the global dominant, as apposed to CDMA cellular technology. The UICC, along with the cellular modem module, is what provides the cellular link of the M2M device that connects a back-end server system in most cases. Such connections are either across the Internet or a dedicated circuit connection if the service being connected is “offcarrier” at a corporate Enterprise, for example. In both instances, these connections exit the
either a consumer or a business. Beyond this,
cellular provider’s data core to then connect
it also helps connect and coordinate device
to an M2M provider’s back-end servers. These
communication to any other Enterprise-based
back-end server systems then perform the data
network services of the customer’s.
collection and processing for other downstream systems, or users.
The Use of Cellular in M2M
To help manage and facilitate communications
It does not seem a foregone conclucion that all
for all those M2M cellular modems, a back-
M2M end-node devices will be predominantly
end central command is often present as
cellular based for their communications. It is
well as a control system. This command and
just not a practical communication means for all
control system is a software-as-a-service
use cases given the low power needs and costs
type of web portal, either partnered with
of many of these end-node operating scenarios.
or operated by the mobile carrier. Such a service would help provision, manage, and bill
For example, cellular is data and a power-hungry
M2M device communications to the Original
relative to the power and communication
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that sells
deployment needs of a small M2M sensor node.
the M2M product to the end user, which is
That is on the product designer/OEM side of
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Making Sense of M2M and IoT
concerns. Then there is the issue of all that signaling traffic between a cellular modem and the base station, which is already becoming a concern with current mobile operations, let alone adding x-million more communicating nodes to cell sites; small-cell or not, all of which seems impractical until at least 2018/2020. Efforts are currently under way in the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and 3GPP standards bodies to establish new cellular communications models specific to the needs of M2M—device makers and carriers.
questions regarding the longevity of the product
Such a move could certainly help if not solve
designers/OEMs product relative to the longevity
part of the issue longer term. Even then,
of the 2G networks come up as well. Many
though, we will have to see how these efforts
advocate shutting down 2G capabilities among
unfold and how possible and likely adoption is in
cellular operators, but given these factors and
the face of other new technology solutions that
the drive for M2M, such a move would appear
might present themselves.
unlikely for the near term.
Regardless, from an “operating requirements”
If it is a specialty consumer device in question
and “bill of materials” standpoint, designing a
that could support recharging capabilities or is
2G/3G/4G modem into any small device will
always attached to an electric current source,
take serious consideration. Power and other
then the use of cellular directly (2G/3G/4G)
issues rise dramatically as you move from
in these endpoints is quite feasible. An
2G to 4G LTE modem use currently. Other
implementation such as a vehicle, which could
The M2M device will be associated with a cellular network and a business customer as the owner of the cellular account, just like a consumer mobile handset is today. “
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support both large batteries and recharging,
stable and consistent power supply given
is a perfect example as would be a plugged-in
their deployment scenario. In-home units?
vending machine.
No problem. User carried? Not as much of a problem, but maybe less likely still. Remote,
The likely scenario is that cellular connections
small, off-grid sensor types? Unlikely to go
will be mainly applied to M2M device gateways
cellular until better M2M-friendly cellular
and end-node devices that can support a
standards appear in the market. In these
EXAMPLE m2M/IOT END-TO-END SYSTEM CONNECTION SCENARIOS
Figure 4: This image depicts the various logical connection possibilities in M2M and IoT systems, each row being a possible system connection pattern.
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examples then, other LAN/PAN/MAN RF technologies, such as white space bandwidthoriented Weightless or SIGFOX, ZigBee, and Bluetooth, or other new emerging ones will continue to grow in this gap. What About Vehicle Telematics? Telematics is another M2M-associated term that is often heard but not well understood. Essentially, the term “telematics” refers to the combination of computer processing system capabilities together with telecommunications capability in a single system for the purpose of transmitting data and commands to and from a remote processing system. Telematics
clear that telematics systems could and do
is most commonly associated with wireless
process telemetry data.
communications, if not solely. The term “vehicle telematics” is merely the more
Telematics is a slightly “newer” term from the mid-
commonly understood use of telematics
1970s, while telemetry is a much older concept.
—in vehicles. Wired telemetry use is at least several Telematics is not to be confused with the term
decades old, and cellular services have also
telemetry, which is the remote measurement of
been commonly used to transmit telemetry
data from an origin point to a remote processing
data over the years, with it now the common
point. By these definitions, it should also be
associated means.
the term “telematics” refers to the combination of computer processing system capabilities together with telecommunications capability in a single system.”
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To summarize: telematics, especially vehicle
capability and functionality communicating with
telematics, could be seen as an interchangeable
like units as well as back-end servers in a classically
term with the more modern M2M or with
closed proprietary system. Accordingly, SCADA
Internet of Things as in-vehicle technology
systems can be considered as nothing more
matures. Some feel we should retire the term
than a specialized derivative class of M2M with
“telematics” to history, using M2M exclusively,
perhaps a dash of Internet of Things being added
as M2M is the newer buzzword and a much
to the mix as of late, which is now sometimes also
catchier acronym and phrase. Nevertheless,
termed the Industrial Internet among others.
telemetry in and of itself is still very applicable for both M2M and IoT type systems.
M2M in Relation to The Internet of Things, etc.
M2M in Relation to SCADA There is often quite a bit of understandable SCADA, which stands for Supervisory Control
confusion concerning the difference between
and Data Acquisition, is a class of control
M2M and the Internet of Things, often shown as
system software and hardware components
the acronym IoT.
used in industrial automation. SCADA systems commonly process and control the transfer
There is also now the Internet of Everything (IoE),
of data and commands to gauges, sensors,
which is basically the same thing, and then the
and actuators within plants and remote field
Web of Things (WoT), which is an offshoot to entail
equipment locations.
the use of web services and protocols for the IoT/ IoE, which seems to be implied somewhat.
SCADA systems are primarily used in such operations as oil and gas refineries, power plants, water treatment facilities, and other plants related to “utilities.” These systems are often characterized as critical infrastructure, but they can also be seen in corporate industrial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) operations. Similar to our discussion of M2M systems, SCADA also consists of embedded systems of varying
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communicate with each other and back-end systems in a wired, RF wireless, cellular, or satellite means. M2M devices also operate in a variety of network topologies, can utilize an M2M gateway device, or not, can communicate via layer 2 or 3, and be static or dynamically IP addressed. The “Internet of Things” is broader umbrella terminology that refers to the merging of previously static objects (e.g., refrigerator, car) into an Internet context and then driven by Figure 5: The image above shows the associative
human interaction with the object in a broader
correlation between the various technology realms
sense given an “Internet services capability”
and the degree to which M2M and IoT relate to and
overlay of sorts. In contrast to this, M2M is
overlap them.
machine interaction driven.
To try and summarize this in more specific
Internet of Things can involve M2M systems
terms, M2M is the automated exchange of
but is not one in the same. Conversely, M2M
telemetry, operational, and other command
does not need an Internet of Things “human
and control information between machines;
interaction” context or Internet connectivity to
predominantly sensor-like, and non-GUI
function as an M2M system.
embedded systems; and often additionally to servers and services where humans make
Internet of Things systems are more classically
broader use of the data. M2M devices can
aligned with common Internet and web
The “Internet of Things” is broader umbrella terminology that refers to the merging of previously static objects (e.g., refrigerator, car) into an Internet context.”
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technologies and communications, though this
terms and their relationships as this author
is beginning to change. IoT could be thought of
understands and views them. It is hoped this
as the “glitzier� Internet side of M2M that allows
information will provide some better context
more consumer user interaction with the system.
and understanding for you.
Although the terms are often used
Essentially, though, M2M and IoT devices are
interchangeably, subtle distinctions allow
all predominantly embedded systems with
for hazy intersection and overlap. Figure 5
some featuring more user interaction and user
attempts to show the relationship and overlap
interface conveniences than others. At this
of the various associated terms.
point, it seems that the term IoT is winning out in the consumer media space over M2M and
Still Confused?
gaining ground in the OEM space as well. It could very well be that IoT wins out as the de
If you’re still completely confused about all
facto term. Both M2M and IoT could continue
these acronyms and fuzzy definitions, know
on as well. Or maybe a new term will arise to
that you are not alone. This space will continue
cover both. Machine-to-Internet (M2I) anyone?
to shake out and become further defined. This paper was an attempt to explain these
Regardless of the name, however, as we further consider all the various technology, protocol, security, and privacy aspects of these systems, just be sure to keep in mind that all these embedded systems will have generally the same technologies, issues, threats, and concerns. From M2M to IoT to SCADA, they are, in essence, the same types of embedded systems communicating with other embedded systems and to back-end network services.
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