How to Implement Industrial Internet of Things in OMNeT++

To implement the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in OMNeT++ needs a network that helps industrial applications like predictive maintenance, process automation, and real-time monitoring by designing and simulating it. This network requires integration different kinds of nodes (sensors, actuators, controllers, gateways and so on) and communication protocols.
Below, we offered step-by-step guide to implementing IIoT in OMNeT++ using the INET framework:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework

Make sure that you have OMNeT++ and the INET Framework installed.

Create a New OMNeT++ Project

Open OMNeT++ IDE: Start the OMNeT++ IDE.
Create a New Project: Go to File -> New -> OMNeT++ Project. Give a name to the project (e.g., IIoTNetworkSimulation).

Define the Network Topology

Create a new NED file to state the network topology that has multiple IIoT components like sensors, actuators, controllers, gateways, and servers.

Example: IIoT Network Topology (IIoTNetwork.ned)

package iiotnetwork;

import inet.node.inet.StandardHost;

import inet.node.inet.WirelessHost;

import inet.node.inet.Router;

network IIoTNetwork

{

parameters:

@display(“bgb=800,400”);

submodules:

sensor1: WirelessHost {

@display(“p=100,300”);

}

sensor2: WirelessHost {

@display(“p=300,300”);

}

actuator1: WirelessHost {

@display(“p=500,300”);

}

controller: WirelessHost {

@display(“p=200,200”);

}

gateway: Router {

@display(“p=300,100”);

}

server: StandardHost {

@display(“p=400,100”);

}

connections allowunconnected:

sensor1.wlan[0] <–> AdhocChannel <–> controller.wlan[0];

sensor2.wlan[0] <–> AdhocChannel <–> controller.wlan[0];

actuator1.wlan[0] <–> AdhocChannel <–> controller.wlan[0];

controller.wlan[0] <–> AdhocChannel <–> gateway.wlan[0];

gateway.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> server.ethg++;

}

Configure the Simulation

Configure the simulation parameters by creating an OMNeT++ initialization file.

Example: Configuration File (omnetpp.ini)

network = iiotnetwork.IIoTNetwork

sim-time-limit = 100s

# Visualization

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayBackground = true

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayGrid = true

# Sensor Configuration

*.sensor*.numApps = 1

*.sensor*.app[0].typename = “SensorApp”

*.sensor*.app[0].destAddresses = “controller”

*.sensor*.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.sensor*.app[0].messageLength = 512B

*.sensor*.app[0].sendInterval = 1s

# Actuator Configuration

*.actuator*.numApps = 1

*.actuator*.app[0].typename = “ActuatorApp”

*.actuator*.app[0].localPort = 5001

# Controller Configuration

*.controller.numApps = 1

*.controller.app[0].typename = “ControllerApp”

*.controller.app[0].localPort = 5000

# Gateway Configuration

*.gateway.numApps = 1

*.gateway.app[0].typename = “GatewayApp”

*.gateway.app[0].localPort = 5000

# Server Configuration

*.server.numApps = 1

*.server.app[0].typename = “ServerApp”

*.server.app[0].localPort = 6000

# UDP Configuration

*.sensor*.hasUdp = true

*.actuator*.hasUdp = true

*.controller.hasUdp = true

*.gateway.hasUdp = true

*.server.hasUdp = true

# Wireless Configuration

*.sensor*.wlan[0].typename = “AdhocHost”

*.actuator*.wlan[0].typename = “AdhocHost”

*.controller.wlan[0].typename = “AdhocHost”

# IP Address Configuration

*.sensor1.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“sensor1.xml”)

*.sensor2.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“sensor2.xml”)

*.actuator1.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“actuator1.xml”)

*.controller.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“controller.xml”)

*.gateway.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“gateway.xml”)

*.server.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“server.xml”)

Create IP Address Configuration Files

Create XML files to state the IP address configuration for all node.

Example: IP Configuration File for sensor1 (sensor1.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for sensor2 (sensor2.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for actuator1 (actuator1.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for controller (controller.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for gateway (gateway.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for server (server.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Implement IIoT Application Logic

Implement the logic for data collection, processing, and control by simulating IIoT applications.

Example: Sensor Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class SensorApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void sendData();

};

Define_Module(SensorApp);

void SensorApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1, new cMessage(“sendData”));

}

void SensorApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “sendData”) == 0) {

sendData();

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1, msg);

} else {

// Handle other messages

}

void SensorApp::sendData() {

// Logic to send sensor data to the controller

cMessage *msg = new cMessage(“sensorData”);

send(msg, “out”);

}

Example: Actuator Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class ActuatorApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void processCommand(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(ActuatorApp);

void ActuatorApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

}

void ActuatorApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

// Process commands from the controller

processCommand(msg);

}

void ActuatorApp::processCommand(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to process and execute commands

delete msg; // Example: simply delete the message

}

Example: Controller Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class ControllerApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void processAndForwardData(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(ControllerApp);

void ControllerApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

}

void ControllerApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

// Process data from sensors and forward commands to actuators

processAndForwardData(msg);

}

void ControllerApp::processAndForwardData(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to process sensor data and send commands to actuators

cMessage *commandMsg = new cMessage(“command”);

send(commandMsg, “out”);

delete msg; // Example: delete the original message after processing

}

Example: Gateway Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class GatewayApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void processAndForwardData(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(GatewayApp);

void GatewayApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

}

void GatewayApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

// Process and forward data to the server

processAndForwardData(msg);

}

void GatewayApp::processAndForwardData(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to process and forward data

send(msg, “out”);

}

Example: Server Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class ServerApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void processData(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(ServerApp);

void ServerApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

}

void ServerApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

// Process data from gateway

processData(msg);

}

void ServerApp::processData(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to process data

delete msg; // Example: simply delete the message

}

Run the Simulation

Build the Project: Right-click on project and select Build Project.
Run the Simulation: Start the simulation by clicking on the green play button in the OMNeT++ IDE.

We have covered the entire procedure using the step-by-step process on how to implement Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in OMNeT++ if you can’t understand then contact us for more simulation help.