Abstract

This paper discusses the underlying infrastructural requirements for Smart Spaces and Managed Zones. The focus is on generic technologies rather than specific solution to specific problems. At a political ownership level, who owns the infrastructure is key. This paper addresses the issues of Open Access Networks (OANs) with pointers to the issues they raise. Such networks allow the reuse of a single underlying infrastructure for multiple purposes, allowing logically distinct smart spaces to overlay each other in a single physical wireless or fixed IP-based network. At the network protocol level, one key assumption is that smart space infrastructures are based on the Internet Protocol (IPv4, IPv6). This paper will argue that, for mobile devices, IPv6 is the obvious choice. The reasons include the available address range for a large proliferation of devices, the ability to allow p2p (peer-to-peer) interactions and lightweight services end-to-end across such IPv6 networks, the ability to allow auto-configuration (allowing flexible lightweight management), and the ability to support redirection of traffic to new locations (mobile IPv6). [The M-Zones research programme has been funded by the Irish Higher Education Authority, PRTLI Cycle 3]