Resource-aware virtualization for industrial networks: A novel architecture combining resource management, policy control and network virtualization for networks in automation or supervisory control and data acquisition networks

Within the EU Project IoT@Work future Internet techniques such as network virtualization are investigated in order to provide communication services in automation systems. The physical network is modeled as an abstract pool of resources that is allocated through virtual slices to different automation applications. Each slice of the network resources fulfils the application communication needs in terms of security, QoS, and reliability. The proposed architecture is targeted at constrained networks, where a centralized control and management point could be accessed through an API to create and implement virtual networks which could be mapped to a real physical infrastructure. This approach would impact not only the task of engineering by separating application programming from configuring networks. It also hides the network dynamics and self-management connecting ever more dynamic, adaptive and smart automation systems.