Architecture and Solutions in IoT Middleware A Comprehensive Review
Architecture and Solutions in IoT Middleware A Comprehensive Review
ISSN NO-2584-2706
IoT networks often consist of numerous and the underlying used technologies.
devices with varying hardware capabilities, Therefore, the existing works on IoT
operating systems, communication middleware architecture need to be analyzed
protocols, and data formats. Without a to address their existing technical
common platform to manage these challenges, issues, and gaps in this domain
differences, integrating and scaling IoT and suggest further improvements.
systems would be extremely challenging.
The middleware, which is a software Iot Middleware Architecture
application, can hide the things details from In IoT middleware architecture, the
the applications by communicating with the Perception Layer forms the bottom-most
heterogeneous connected devices/things, layer and is responsible for sensing and
filtering the raw captured data, and collecting data from the physical
processing them before dissemination to the environment. It includes various IoT devices
connected applications, and therefore easing such as sensors, RFID tags, cameras, and
the backend applications’ development and actuators, which detect parameters like
offering multiple common services. temperature, motion, humidity, and location.
Middleware addresses important tasks such Above this, the Transportation Layer
as data aggregation, security enforcement, ensures the secure and efficient transmission
device management, and service discovery, of the collected data from the perception
allowing developers to focus on building devices to the data processing centers or
applications rather than dealing with low- cloud platforms. It uses various
level integration issues by providing a communication technologies like Wi-Fi, 5G,
unified communication layer, facilitating Bluetooth, ZigBee, and LPWAN to carry the
interoperability among heterogeneous data across networks. Finally, the
devices and platforms (Razzaque et al., Application Layer sits at the top and
2015). It also moreover, as IoT systems interacts directly with users or other
grow in size and complexity, middleware systems. It processes and utilizes the
ensures scalability, reliability, and efficient transmitted data to deliver intelligent
resource utilization, making it an essential services and applications across different
component for the successful deployment sectors, such as smart cities, healthcare,
and operation of IoT solutions (Zhang et al., industrial automation, and smart homes.
2021). A major challenge faced by This layered structure ensures that IoT
application developers today is finding the systems are organized, scalable, and able to
most appropriate IoT middleware solution in integrate diverse devices and technologies
terms of the provided functionalities that seamlessly (Amaral et al., 2016) as shown in
should meet the application requirements figure 1..
Cloud-based middleware solutions Hub, Google Cloud IoT Core, and IBM
Cloud-based middleware solutions for IoT Watson IoT. These platforms offer features
are essential for managing the massive like secure device connectivity, message
volume of data generated by connected brokering, rules engines for event handling,
devices and ensuring seamless and integration with AI and machine
communication between them. These learning services. By utilizing cloud-based
middleware platforms leverage the middleware, organizations can quickly build
scalability, flexibility, and computing power and scale IoT applications without the need
of the cloud to provide services such as for extensive on-premises infrastructure,
device management, data storage, real-time ensuring faster deployment, better resource
analytics, security, and application management, and higher reliability
integration. They enable IoT devices to (Introduction to Cloud-Based Middleware in
connect easily to cloud servers, allowing for IoT, 2021). Here's a quick comparison chart
remote monitoring, control, and data based on Scalability, Security, and Ease of
processing (Kodakandla, 2022). Examples Use for the same middleware solutions in
of popular cloud-based IoT middleware table 2:
include AWS IoT, Microsoft Azure IoT