Management and security in IPv6-enabled and performance controlled Wireless
Jorge Granjal ([email protected]), Vasco Pereira ([email protected]), Edmundo Monteiro
([email protected]), Jorge Sá Silva ([email protected])
The use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in scenarios that demand controlled performance, such as
industrial, military or healthcare, is yet a challenge to be met. These scenarios have strong requirements
on timeliness, reliability and security, which cannot be assured by current WSNs. The lack of quality of
service (QoS) guarantees limits the applications and prevents the use of WSNs in critical environments
where their unique characteristics could have significant benefits.
Our research efforts currently address the definition of security and management mechanisms for
performance controlled WSNs. We also consider the need of integrating such WSNs with the Internet
and the usage of a security gateway architecture that supports security and management mechanisms.
The goal is to allow the enforcement of predefined performance and security levels.
Our research work is being developed in the context of the FP7 GINSENG Research Project
(http://www.ict-ginseng.eu/). GINSENG goal is to propose new mechanisms and algorithms that allow
the enforcement of deterministic performance levels on the WSNs. In the context of GINSENG, which
uses as test-bed the Petrogal oil refinery at Sines, several validation scenarios were defined. Such
scenarios will allow the validation of new security and management mechanisms in critical industrial
To guarantee the performance of the WSNs, Ginseng uses a deterministic placement of the nodes, a
TDMA-based MAC layer and the use a monitoring system that continuously measures several QoS
metrics. These metrics result from a taxonomic approach of the specific QoS requirements that fully
qualify the performance of WSNs. Furthermore, reprogramming mechanisms are also being studied to
provide for a continuous update and maintenance of the proposed performance levels.
Some of the metrics to be used are security metrics. These metrics aim to qualify the different security
levels that can be achieved by the network, or by some specific nodes. The security mechanisms
included in the integration model address both the network and MAC layers of WSNs. At the network
layer, we propose and evaluate the usage of security extensions for the 6lowpan adaptation layer. New
6lowpan security headers allow the achievement of authentication, integrity and confidentiality in
communications on WSNs using IP. We believe that security at the network layer can be viable for
specific deployment scenarios, where we are able to accept a trade-off between computational and
energy requirements from sensor nodes, and security levels required for critical WSN deployments. The
same integration model allows for the usage of security mechanisms at the MAC layer. New mechanisms
are being developed that allow security to benefit from the deterministic (TDMA-based) behaviour of
EDITORIAL 107 Medicações sistêmicas e queixa ocular: Alguma correlação? A o ser convidado para escrever este editorial, pensei em um tema diferen- te, que pudesse oferecer alguma contribuição ao leitor. Refiro-me aospossíveis efeitos colaterais oculares associados com medicaçõessistêmicas, comumente utilizadas por nossos pacientes. Estaria cada oftalmologis-ta ciente que dr
BOB SULLIVAN : EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR : GREY Febreze and all Smucker’s brands continues to do well. Hess account grows and launches new digital, mobile and social campaigns. Created new retail and corporate campaign. Designed a new retail brand line. Headed up and won Darden’s Red Lobster account (200+ million). Wrote and art