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Device Implementation Guide for IoT
Introduction Soracom Device Implementation Guidelines IoT Device Architecture IoT Device Implementation Checklist Avoid connecting and disconnecting excessively Avoid synchronous behavior in large numbers of devices Reduce the number of network connections per device Reduce the data transfer size Reduce active connection time Select appropriate protocols Understand how wireless access technology works Understand the operation of the communication module Correctly handle data communication failures Disable connectivity when SIMs are deactivated Gracefully Shutdown IoT Devices Implement device recovery mechanisms Design for Subscription Containers Handle resources properly Additional considerations for device security
IoT Device Implementation Guide

Avoid synchronous behavior in large numbers of devices

Last Updated: June 28th, 2024

Synchronous acting of devices, as mentioned in TS.34_4.0_REQ_003 and 027, will be detected by the MNO through their cell and core network performance indicators.

Because these indicators are visible only to the MNO, it is hard to identify such problems, especially during the test phases of IoT Device development when only a few devices are connected to the same cell tower or network.

Nevertheless, numerous use cases are prone to synchronous acting behavior, such as livestock monitoring or smart metering in densely populated areas.

Just imagine hundreds of smart meters in a large building that will start up together after a power outage. As these meters run the same IoT Device Application software, they will try to reconnect simultaneously. Connection request signals will easily flood the cell tower in the area. It may switch to an overloaded status, reject all new connections, or even fail, resulting in a prolonged outage.

Implementing a randomized timer in the application to allow staggering the network connection requests is one of the most valuable design considerations for spreading the network connection procedure over a longer period of time and reducing the risk of overloading the MNO.

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Reduce the number of network connections per device
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