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A comprehensive study of RPL and P2P-RPL routing protocols: Implementation, challenges and opportunities

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Abstract

In recent years, Internet of Things (IoT), which aims to achieve ubiquitous communication among a large number of resource constraint embedded devices, has emerged as a new paradigm in the field of wireless communications. Enabling the IoT essentially requires thousands of low-power and low cost embedded devices to be efficiently and seamlessly interconnected. Consequently, routing protocols play a crucial role in providing the interoperability for IoT components. In order to turn IoT into reality, IETF has standardized the IPv6 Routing Protocols for Low-power and Lossy Networks (RPL). As the pervasiveness of RPL increases, a comprehensive survey of RPL is crucial to pave the way for researchers to understand and contribute in the relevant research area of RPL. Therefore, in this paper, we present a comprehensive study of RPL protocol as well as its latest and standardized addition, i.e., point-to-point RPL (P2P-RPL). Specifically, this paper focuses on performance evaluations, research challenges and envisioned opportunities of RPL. In addition, we also introduce a NS-3 framework design of RPL and P2P-RPL protocols. Furthermore, extensive simulation studies are conducted across various scenarios to demonstrate the flexibility and effectiveness of RPL and P2P-RPL protocols. Moreover, research gaps and challenges facing in RPL and P2P-RPL protocols are also addressed. Finally, we summarize the paper by providing valuable insights of enabling technologies and suggestions for future research.

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Notes

  1. 1 In the non-strong mode, this existing route is along the pre-established DAG and via the root.

  2. 2 It is observed that the wireless links have asymmetric nature, mainly because of transmitter power and receiver sensitivity which is different from node to node [77].

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Acknowledgments

This research is funded by the Republic of Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) through a grant to the Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS) for the Singapore-Berkeley Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics (SinBerBEST) Program. BEARS has been established by the University of California, Berkeley as a center for intellectual excellence in research and education in Singapore.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore

    Ming Zhao & Rongxing Lu

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore

    Arun Kumar

  3. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

    Peter Han Joo Chong

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  1. Ming Zhao
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Zhao, M., Kumar, A., Joo Chong, P.H. et al. A comprehensive study of RPL and P2P-RPL routing protocols: Implementation, challenges and opportunities. Peer-to-Peer Netw. Appl. 10, 1232–1256 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12083-016-0475-y

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