Internet of Things – Architecture © - 51 -
3 IoT Reference model
3.1 Introduction
The first major contribution of the IoT Architectural Reference Model (ARM), is
the IoT Reference Model itself. Besides models (sic!), the IoT Reference Model
provides the concepts and definitions on which IoT architectures can be built.
This chapter introduces the IoT Reference Model as a precondition for working
with the Reference Architecture that is introduced in Chapter 4.
The Reference Model consists of several sub-models that set the scope for the
IoT design space and that address the previously discussed architectural view
and perspectives. As already stated above, the primary and thus the key model
is the IoT Domain Model, which describes all the concepts that are relevant in
the Internet of Things. All other models and the IoT Reference Architecture are
based on the concepts introduced in the IoT Domain Model. While certain
models, such as the IoT Communication Model and the IoT Trust, Security, and
Privacy Model might be less critical in certain application scenarios, the IoT
Domain Model is mandatory for all usages of the IoT ARM. Therefore, it is
advised to read Section 3.3 carefully, and at least to follow the information given
in the Section 3 in order to get an overview of the different sub-models of the
IoT Domain Model and how they relate to each other. Depending on the
individual application of the IoT Domain Model, the Subsequent sections in this
chapter provides details about the other models.
Next, we explain, who the sub-models in the IoT Reference Model relate and
link to each other, and how they form an integrated reference model.