The goal of this project is to create an architecture for sensor network management and use the architecture to develop and evaluate novel network-management tasks. The architecture must be flexible enough to be applicable to a wide range of sensor node types and networking technologies. It must also be lightweight in terms of memory and computational resource requirements. The architecture defines a common interface for manageable components and a new network service for remote interaction with these components. These technologies serve as the basis for new emerging sensor network capabilities such as network bootstrapping, cluster management, and network routing management. This project is developing specifications and implementations of management algorithms, management information models, and sensor network management services. These techniques are being evaluated through in-depth simulations and through execution on a physical testbed composed of low-power, wireless sensor nodes, such as the Crossbow Mica-class Motes.
The technologies that are developed through this project will provide a consistent mechanism for management operations in sensor networks, resulting in greater interoperability between technologies developed by different researchers and vendors. The push to standardize descriptions of managed information will provide an example of points for standardization in the sensor network community, encouraging less fragmentation in technology. The specifications, software, and evaluation results from the project will be disseminated via appropriate journals, conferences, workshops, and the Internet.
