Network Longevity of the Internet of Things

An Internet of Things (IoT) network is a network of devices. In a massive IoT network, devices are often battery-powered, and the battery life determines the network’s lifespan. The goal of this article is thus to examine the inherent relationship between device intrinsic characteristics and network performance (lifespan and capacity). The findings lead to a simple but fundamental view of IoT network longevity and, more significantly, an IoT network longevity principle. This new perception of network longevity alludes to distinct characteristics of IoT devices from those used in existing technologies and systems. These distinctions manifested by the network performance are examined through in-depth theoretical analysis. An exemplary augmentation of characteristics on a practical device demonstrates and reinforces the importance of device characteristics on network performance and the power of the longevit principle.