Cloud Computing

Task No#05
Cloud Computing

Submitted to: Dr. Khurrum S. Khattak

Submitted by:
Karishma Khan
16MDTLC0756, Spring 2021

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY,

Peshawar

Computer System Department

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Write a 2-4 pages report including diagrams. How will you simulate an IoT
infrastructure of a smart city using AWS.

Introduction

Cloud computing is the next phase in the growth of Internet-based computing. Computer capabilities,
infrastructure (e.g., servers and storage), systems, business processes, and other critical resources can all be
connected via cloud computing. The growth of cloud computing makes it easier to develop flexible business
models, such as allowing organizations to use resources when their business grows. Each provisioning and
withdrawal of resources in cloud computing can be repeated indefinitely. APIs allow users to access cloud
services and allow applications and resource records to communicate in the cloud. Invoicing and assessing
providers are used in payment methods, providing the support required to use the rating assistance and to
make payments in advance.

The following are the main business drivers behind the adoption of cloud computing and related
services:
1. Monitoring And Evaluating Performance: Cloud computing infrastructure, in addition to the
integrated system of physical computing and its methods, provides a carrier management
environment to monitor and evaluate performance.
2. Security: It also offers secure operations that aim to protect sensitive information.
3. Business enterprise: It provides flexible, timely, and required access to computer resources as
needed to fulfil business objectives
4. Cost reduction: Cloud computing promises a cost reduction by converting capital expenditures
(CapEx) into operating costs. This is because cloud computing allows for more flexible scheduling
and resource allocation, and a preference for pre-existing management.

Need of Cloud Computing for Smart Cities

IoT is a broad category that comprises of various adaptable and unusual devices with limited storage,
power supplies, and performance capabilities. These constraints establish a barrier and impedance to the
development of IoT systems, and include complex issues such as compatibility, efficiency, full functionality,

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and availability. One of the most promising methods that may be combined with IoT to overcome such
limitations is cloud computing. The cloud provides shared resources (network, storage, computers, and
software) distinguished by ubiquity, low cost, and aesthetic characteristics.

IoT infrastructure in AWS

IoT infrastructure in AWS can be developed using AWS IoT. AWS IoT stands for Amazon Web
Services Internet of Things. It allows developers to build complex and scalable IoT systems by providing end-
to-end device & data control and management service. It is a platform that provides cloud services and device
software to help you connect your IoT devices with other devices, AWS cloud applications & AWS IoT-based
solutions.

The main component is AWS IoT Core. AWS IoT Core is a cloud service on which the AWS IoT
platform functions. It lets connected devices interact securely with cloud applications and other devices. AWS
IoT core makes it easy to use various Amazon services to build IoT applications without managing any
infrastructure.

AWS IoT Core can:

 enable you to connect and manage your devices
 help you keep track of your devices and communicate with them even when they aren’t
connected.
 secure device connections and data.
 process and act upon device data.
 read and set the device state at any time.
 help you to scale to numerous Alexa built-in devices cost-effectively

1. AWS IoT Device SDK: AWS IoT Device SDK refers to Amazon Web Services Internet of
Things Device Software Development Kit. It assists your devices to connect, authenticate and
correspond with AWS IoT Core easily. The AWS IoT Device SDK includes client libraries,
developer guide, porting guide and supports programming languages like C, JavaScript, Arduino.
2. Message Broker: The Message Broker is a fully-managed, high performance publish/subscribe
message broker. It securely conveys messages between your IoT devices and applications with a
short waiting time. It is flexible and scales automatically with your message volumes.
3. Security: AWS IoT Core secures all communications as it doesn’t allow any information
exchange without authentication. It secures all received messages with security certificates. Also,
with the help of Message Broker, it enhances security by allowing you to set up fine access
controls.

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4. Registry: The registry gives a unique identity to each device and tracks metadata. Metadata
consists of the device’s capabilities.
5. Jobs: Jobs are a set of remote operations executed on AWS IoT connected devices. With this
feature, we can send files to devices and update their systems using OTA updates. A job document
explains the function the device needs to carry out.
6. Rules Engine: The rules engine allows you to build IoT applications that collect, process, examine
and work on information generated by connected devices globally. Based on the rules defined by
you, it analyses, transforms and delivers messages to other devices or a cloud service. It offers
numerous functions to modify your information.
7. Device Shadow: Device Shadow refers to making a shadow of devices on the cloud, which allows
you to communicate with them even when they are offline. The “Shadow” includes the latest state
of the device. Applications can set the device’s desired future state, and AWS IoT Device SDK
makes it convenient for the device to respond to them and get in sync with the Device Shadow.
8. Alexa Integration: Alexa Voice Services Integration reduces costs of building Alexa inbuilt
devices but shifting computing needs like state management, audio mixing decoding and media
retrieval to a cloud. It allows you to integrate Alexa directly into parts of your homes or offices so
that you can talk directly to your surroundings instead of Alexa devices.

How AWS IoT works

AWS IoT enables internet-connected devices to communicate with each other over the AWS cloud. IoT
applications collect information, process it and send messages in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format
on MQ Telemetry Transport (MQTT) topics. MQTT topics are UTF-8 strings used by the broker to filter
messages for each connected device. The working of AWS IoT has been explained as follows:

1. Device Gateway is the entry point for IoT devices connecting to AWS.
2. Communications are secured with X.509 certificates, which need to be registered and activated using
AWS IoT.
3. All devices connected on the AWS IoT platform need to have a registry, which contains the details of
their certificates.
4. Rules are set up to perform specific actions and filter messages.
5. To establish connections, the protocols supported by the AWS IoT platform are:
 MQTT – Lightweight protocol used for low bandwidth devices
 TLS – Transport Layer Security Protocol is used to communicate and avoid issues like tampering
securely.
6. The AWS IoT gateway receives MQTT messages from registered IoT devices. The solution here
allows you to use device data from your existing IoT data source and send it in JSON payload.
7. AWS IoT rules engine enables you to select information from message payloads, process it and send
it to other devices.
8. The information is sent to a Firehose delivery stream to combine data into batches for processing.
Batched information is also stored in the Amazon S3 bucket for later retrieval.
9. Information received from the Firehose delivery stream is entered into an Analytics application to
process data in real-time by using standard SQL queries.
10. Analytics enables you to write standard SQL queries to retrieve particular components from the
information received and perform ETL on it.
11. The processed information from queries is entered into Firehose delivery streams, which batch
information into CSV files and store it in S3.
12. Finally, Amazon QuickSight uses the processed CSV files from S3 to form numerous visualizations
with different graph types.
13. Amazon QuickSight also has a built-in story feature to combine visualizations into dashboards, which
can be shared securely.

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Integration of Fog Computing in Smart Cities

Managing the data generated by Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and actuators is one of the biggest
challenges faced when deploying an IoT system. Traditional cloud-based IoT systems are challenged by the
large scale, heterogeneity, and high latency witnessed in some cloud ecosystems. One solution is to
decentralize applications, management, and data analytics into the network itself using a distributed and
federated compute model. This approach has become known as fog computing.

Integration of Edge Computing in Smart Cities

The purpose of a smart city is to optimize services for citizens and create greater efficiencies, cost
savings, levels of safety, sustainability, and even well-being in day-to-day living. Edge computing helps smart
cities realize these benefits by enabling 5G and IoT systems to work with greater efficiency, essentially
shaping and powering it. Some additional benefits include:

1. Reducing transmission delays: As the data generated and used by these devices doesn’t have to
travel to and from a far-off datacentre, edge computing significantly reduces network latency and
the risk of service outages.
2. Creating greater network resilience: Short travel distances for processing contribute to greater
speed and efficiencies for IoT devices and the software operating on-site, allowing the smart city to
be more resilient.
3. Supporting data centralization on-premise and in the cloud: Smart cities using edge computing
technology have the capacity to support large numbers of systems, ensuring flexibility, security,
and speed within each system (e.g. a smart building’s ventilation system).

Conclusion

AWS IoT platform is one of the most in-demand platforms for developing IoT applications, mainly
because it offers a server-less approach and various services to enhance people’s experience using the
platform. By developing IoT devices on the AWS IoT platform, you can avail all of the advantages and
services that come with it.

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