6LoWPAN

Overview, Assumptions, Problem

Statement & Goals
(draft-kushalnagar-lowpan-goals-assumptions-00)

Nandu Kushalnagar & Gabriel Montenegro

 Overview of LoWPAN
• A simple low throughput wireless network
comprising typically low cost and low power
devices
• Devices in the network typically work together to
connect the physical environment to real world
applications, e.g., wireless sensors networks
• Common topologies include – star, mesh, and
combinations of star and mesh
• The Phy and MAC layers conform to IEEE
802.15.4-2003 standard
LoWPAN architecture
 Typical applications
• Equipment health monitoring
• Environment monitoring
• Security
• Home
• Building automation
 6LoWPAN characteristics
• Small packet size
• 16-bit short or IEEE 64-bit extended media
access control addresses
• Low bandwidth. (250/40/20 kbps)
• Topologies include star and mesh
• Low power, typically battery operated
• Relatively low cost
• Networks are ad hoc & devices have limited
accessibility and user interfaces
• Inherently unreliable due to nature of devices in
the wireless medium
 Assumptions
• Devices conform to IEEE 802.15.4-2003
standard
• Devices “typically” send small amounts of
data
• Typically “constrained” devices
(computing, power, cost, memory, etc)
 Problems
• No method exists to make IP run over IEEE 802.15.4
networks
– Worst case .15.4 PDU 81 octets, IPv6 MTU requirements 1280
octets
• Stacking IP and above layers “as is” may not fit within
one 802.15.4 frame
– IPv6 40 octets, TCP 20 octets, UDP 8 octets + other layers
(security, routing, etc) leaving few bytes for data
• Not all adhoc routing protocols may be immediately
suitable for LoWPAN
– DSR may not fit within a packet, AODV needs more memory, etc
• Current service discovery methods “bulky” for LoWPAN
– Primarily XML based that needs computing, more memory, etc
• Limited configuration and management necessary
• Security for multi hop needs to be considered
 Goals
• Define adaptation (frag/reassembly) layer to match
IPv6 MTU requirements
• Specify methods to do IPv6 stateless address auto
configuration
• Specify/use header compression schemes.
• Specify implementation considerations and best
methods of an IPv6 stack
• Methods for meshing on LoWPAN below IP*
Not currently in charter
• Use/adapt network management technologies for
LoWPANs
• Specify encoding/decoding (or perhaps new protocols)
for device discovery mechanisms
• Document LoWPAN security threats
BACKUP
 Overview of LoWPAN
• A simple low cost wireless network of devices that have limited
power and relaxed throughput requirements.
• Conforms to IEEE 802.15.4-2003
• Typical usages of LoWPAN networks are –
– Networking transducers (sensing & actuation, eg. smart sensors –
Such usages may need in network processing)
– Networking simple controls (home controls)
– Networking complex controls (light & switch & motion sensor)
• Standards based Phy and MAC exist for LoWPAN networks viz.,
IEEE802.15.4 and *possibly* IEEE802.15.3
• Topologies that are commonplace today include – star, mesh, and
combinations of star and mesh
• Today LoWPAN’s are already becoming a reality

LoWPAN - A different *beast* of networks compared to

traditional networks !
 Challenges of LoWPAN
Impact Addressing Routing Security Network
Analysis management

Low power Storage Periodic sleep Simplicity (CPU Periodic sleep aware
limitations, low aware routing, usage), low management, low
(1-2 years lifetime on overhead low overhead overhead overhead
batteries)
Low cost Stateless address Small or no Ease of Use, Space constraints
generation routing tables simple
(<$10/unit) bootstrapping

Low bandwidth Compressed Low routing Low packet Low network

addresses overhead overhead overhead
(<300kbps)

High density Large address Scalable and Robust Easy to use and
space – IPv6 routable to *a scalable
(<2-4? units/sq ft) node*

IP network interaction Address routable Seamless IP Work end to end Compatible with
from IP world routing from IP network SNMP, etc
 Subtleties of IEEE 802.15.4
• Small packet size – 128 byte including
MAC, 103 bytes of payload
• Uses 64 bit MAC addresses, but has
provisions for 16 bit short addresses
• Support for multiple topologies
• Supports AES block cypher in several
modes (AES-CCM-64 mandatory)
• Data rates between 20kbps to 250kbps
• Range between 10m to 30m
 Why IP?
• Most of the IP based technologies
already exist, well known and proven to
be working.
• The pervasive nature of IP networks
allows use of existing infrastructure.
• Intellectual property conditions for IP
networking technology is either more
favorable or at least better understood
than proprietary and newer solutions.
 Why IPv6?
• Pros –
– More suitable for higher density (futuristically 2 orders of
magnitude larger than traditional networks)
– Statelessness mandated
– No NAT necessary (adds extra cost to the cost prohibitive WSN)
– Possibility of adding innovative techniques such as
location aware addressing
• Cons
– Larger address width (Having efficient address compression
schemes may alleviate this con)
– Complying to IPv6 node requirements (IPSec is mandated)
 Why not IPv4?
• Limited address space
• NAT functionality needs gateways, etc
leads to more cost
• Statelessness not mandated
• Gab/Geoff …. any more ideas?
 Goals
• Protocol data units may be as small as 81 bytes, far below IP and above
• In all cases, reuse existing protocols before creating new ones
• Address mismatch between MTU sizes of LoWPAN’s and IPv6
• Support stateless auto configuration of IPv6 addressing (location aware?)
• Specify header compression (use of existing and/or new techniques eg.
header reconstruction, header short circuiting, etc)
• Define security mechanisms, security configuration and bootstrapping
• Specify network management (SNMP?)
• Specify routing suitable for LoWPAN networks (MANET?, topology
aware, Below L3 or above L3?, etc)
• Specify methods to enable and disable IPv6 over LoWPAN.
• Specify hooks within routing layer to enable in network processing
• Specify light weight discovery mechanisms
• Specify any changes needed for L3 + layers
• Specify implementation considerations and BKM’s of an IPv6 stack
 Drafts of 6LoWPAN
• Define a *shim* layer below IP
– Fragmentation/Reassembly to satisfy IPv6 MTU of 1280 bytes
– Routing including mesh
– Header compression mechanisms
• Header reconstruction for intra PAN communication
• Header short circuiting
– Header configuration to enable/disable IPv6
• Define a IPv6 LoWPAN Profile
– Address IPv6 node requirements
– Define
• L2/L3 interface mechanism
• Appropriate security services
• Routing considerations
• Network management with SNMP
• Implementation considerations
• Miscellaneous (may be subsequent drafts)
– Hooks from L3 for in network processing (especially critical for WSN)
– Transport layer (UDP / TCP)
– Security configuration
– Light weight discovery mechanisms
– More?