A central objective in SCOTT is the design of a reference architecture that will enable interoperability (semantic level), secure and trustable cross-domain application development, and technology building block reusability for heterogeneous wireless sensor and actuator networks. This architecture design must enforce trustiness, security, safety and privacy, which are major concerns in future deployments of the IoT and CPS. For this, numerous factors of trust such as security, privacy, reliability, usability, confidentiality, maintainability etc. have to be taken into consideration.

SCOTT aims to develop a multi-perspective and multi-domain architectural model reusing relevant approaches in the literature and mainly the DEWI bubble high level architecture (HLA) for confined wireless transmission with enhanced security, trust, safety, interoperability, and application development. This task is also related to standardization of interfaces and protocols used for communication between the different entities and layers of the architecture. A reference architecture is thus useful as a guideline to build particular reference implementations for different use cases in different domains. Therefore, the architecture design activities will be conducted simultaneously in all use cases and across different domains. This will allow partners to produce a common framework for development and technology component identification. In the end, a common reference HLA will allow external developers to have consolidated, standardized and secure access to the sensor and context information generated by different Bubbles deployed in different industrial domains.

The HLA will also allow for different levels of trustiness (factors of trust) and secure exchange of information and technological solutions (i.e., reuse of code, solutions or optimization algorithms). These tasks are in line with the concept of big data, where developers and upper layer applications can infer, refine or estimate added value context information based on large samples of data collected from the environment and from different network domains.  Related to the definition of a reference architecture we find the standardization activities in SCOTT, focusing on the potential impact of scientific activities on interfaces and technology developments on current standardisation efforts within Europe (i.e., ETSI, CEN and CENELEC) and at the international level (i.e. ISO, IEC and ITU).

  • Review the underlying technology components and architectural requirements for each use case, so as to achieve the objective of secure and trusted wireless confined transmission inside the bubble.

  • Design the infrastructure and the adequate hierarchical arrangement of entities and functionalities to enforce interoperable, standardized, and secure wireless solutions in industrial applications.

  • Identify the standardized interfaces relevant to enforce secure, dependable and interoperable solutions.

  • To leverage the concept of Bubble as a solution to incorporate in a secure, dependable, and trustable manner legacy wireless and wireline sensor and actuator networks into the future IoT Design middleware mechanisms and supporting tools needed between different industrial domains with different quality-of-service, security, and semantic requirements.

  • Counteract the potential vulnerabilities of the system from the perspective of architecture design and also identify the relevant entities subject to such vulnerabilities and/or that need special attention to minimize risks of attack.

  • Provide the different perspectives or views of the architecture that will support the main requirements of the different use cases.

The objectives of SCOTT in terms of measureable indicators are:

  • Develop a platform for cross-domain application development and interoperability with real-life cross use cases, thus demonstrating secure cross-domain data exchange.

  • Create open standards for managed access in smart infrastructure, similar to the ongoing TR-069 work.

  • Provide reference implementations of distributed logic, synchronisation, and cloud integration management solutions reaching TRL7.

  • Develop a set of gateways and protocol reference implementations for technology cross-domain reusability for different use cases.

  • Develop cross-domain authentication and authorization solutions to improve security of access to Bubble information.

  • Create a repository of middleware tools and application development for reference implementations available to external developers. It is possible to measure the success of the SCOTT reference architecture by counting the reference implementations compliant with our reference model.

  • Evaluate compatibility and interoperability with other reference standards and architectures, validating the global applicability of SCOTT reference architecture (HLA).