The Internet of Things -

Weather Monitoring too

Bruce Hartley

Lead Systems Engineer

Meteorological Service of New Zealand Ltd.

October 2012

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The purpose of my presentation is two-fold…

1.To demonstrate what is possible and to stimulate ideas in the weather

monitoring community

2.To stimulate manufacturers into providing all weather sensors and systems

so that they can connect via TCP/IP in a “standardised” way

I will cover three topics in my presentation…

•Some background on the Internet

•MetService New Zealand implementation

•The technology challenge – What we need are smart devices with…

My main background is in Weather Stations and my examples reflect this.

However such is the flexibility of TCP/IP communications that…

The ideas presented here can be applied to any equipment

The ideas are scalable: from a single sensor & display

… to a global network

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the Internet - the World Wide Web - the Web - the Cloud

Is a global network of networks consisting of millions of private, public, academic,

business, and government networks, that are linked by a broad array of

communications and network technologies, all using the standard Internet

protocol suite ( TCP/IP ).

The Internet – It’s all about Information. Initially for access to stored information,

moving it from place to place and making it available for all to see,

but increasingly it’s about device control and data delivery in real time

from everywhere to anywhere.

the Internet of Things

An extensive range of everyday objects

(data sources and/or sinks) connected and

communicating cheaply with each other

across a global network.

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How has it developed? …20 years young!

1960s Researched in the US

1990s Commercial 2-way communications: 1993 = 1% 2000 = 51% 2007 = 97%

Where is it available? …Everywhere!

With the appropriate modem there is almost nowhere that you cannot connect.

The question is no longer “Can I connect?”, it is now “How do I connect?”

Who is using it? …Everybody!

2011 estimate - two billion people ( 1/3 of Earth’s population ) using the Internet.

Facebook: 2008 - 100 mil 2009 - 150 mil 2010 - 350 mil

2011 - 750 mil 2012 > 1 billion

What can it do? …For us!

More information ( accurate, timely, uptime, efficient, management, cheaper )

= Better forecasts = Better decisions = Lower cost and lower loss

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How Reliable is it? …Good enough?

The open Internet has built in redundancy - a star type network.

The more providers on different infrastructure - the better the reliability.

ISP reliability: Dial up 99.9% (9hr/yr) Cable 99.8% (17hr/yr) Wireless 99.4% (52hr/yr) 

Resilience: Business, finance, government and military reliance suggests that the

Internet MUST always be viable. The rest of us will piggy back on the system forever.

Not really good enough!

With a bit of ingenuity this can be good

enough for Weather Monitoring:

Diversity

Transfer protocols - retries

Multiple message redundancy

Backlogging

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MetService Stations to Central Server Communications

MetService TCP/IP implementation has been driven by the communications providers

implementing new technologies and closing old services.

MetService employs Unified Communications (UC) to make implementation and

movement between communications media and suppliers seamless.

The Office Anywhere (OA) Virtual Private

Network (VPN) is used whenever

possible for security of: Data communication Remote station access Central server access

For increased reliability – some dual

communications has been implemented

from stations to the OA VPN.

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TCP/IP modes implemented by MetService

184 Weather Stations ( 36 high priority stations have diverse communications )

TCP 1 second point to point (local: wind displays)

1 minute point to point (local: displays; AWIB;

entry)

UDP 1 minute with a two try handshake protocol

1 minute with messages repeated every 15 seconds

Email 30 minute METAR SYNOP BUOY SHIP - 28 day backlog

FTP Third party Delivery at various times and/or event driven

8 Weather Radars ( 6 have diverse communications )

TCP 7.5 minute image push

10 Lightning detection Sensors

TCP Real time (on event)

7 Webcams

FTP 4 minute image push

We have 8 remaining stations to be migrated from old technologies

( AFTN =1, MTSAT = 7 )

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Weather Station Connectivity - Now

Some station devices are connected to the TCP/IP network:

sensor; router; watchdog; power supply; service computer. Retaining traditional technologies imposes additional overheads:

design; documentation; training; support services. Traditional serial ports (RS232/422/485) are disappearing from

computers and modems.

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Weather Station Connectivity - Future

In a simpler world - TCP/IP from the ingest server to every device Interconnection between the different link modules is the same…

Ethernet with PoE where practicable and/or Wi-Fi Where Ethernet and Wi-Fi won’t reach – Ethernet/WiFi Extenders The network is seamlessly expandable using the routers/switches

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Is it worth the effort to change? Benefits

TCP/IP Unified Communications - efficiency & adaptability without re-designWeb browser control of ALL devicesNetwork management possible from anywhereCommunications diversity of the main trunks is inherent in the networkSoftware management can be centralised - no physical network roll-outsData collection and management can be outsourced - Cloud Computing

Weather station processor can be anywhereBackup processor(s) can be anywhereStandardised PoE saves cabling, connections and timeStandardised cabling - Cat5E or betterWi-Fi up to 250 devices can connect to a single moduleBuilt in transient protection/isolation – one scheme, less boxesTechnicians can access and save documentation from anywhere

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Is it worth the effort to change? Cons

xMay need diversity from the remote site to the core InternetxSecurity outside the company firewall - VPN preferred, firewall minimumxSecure login processes and username/password managementxPower consumption of current modems/routers - solar powering is difficultxPower supply scheme – 48 vdc

xMore data to manage ( database, monitoring, access tools, archive )xNetwork management skills and tools requiredxNew contracts with telecommunications operatorsxNew contracts with others handling and managing equipment and/or dataxWiFi still requires a conventional power supply connection

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The technology challenge - We need smart devices with…

Standard Ethernet with PoE (PoE 48vdc 15W, PoE+ 48vdc 30W)Standard Wi-FiStandard power supply 48 vdc? (optional 12 vdc? 24 vdc?)Standardised messages (xml? Flexibility for custom messages)Standardised data pull TCP server (multiple connections)Standardised data push FTP / UDP / Email (multiple destinations):

Data push scheduled

Data push alert / warning / alarm

Status push warning / alarm / faultStandard NTP time synchronisation where appropriateBuilt in setup and diagnostics web server, with setup file save & loadNew firmware roll outs from anywhere on the VPN (automatic)All hard wire interfaces include transient protection (including antenna)Little or no increase in power consumptionLittle or no increase in price

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The consumer market is already there!

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And to finish - The skies the limit, or is it?

Today www.met.co.nz.aws1Tomorrow www.met.co.nz.site1.sensor1The Future mars.met.co.nz.site1.sensor1

Curiosity

All we need is…

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Thank You

Questions…

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