2. RPL environment

2.1 Definition

The RPL routing protocol has been defined to operate on any data link layer, i.e. on a wide variety of technologies with heterogeneous characteristics, such as wireless solutions (e.g. IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth, Low Power WiFi) or wired solutions (e.g. PLC). RPL therefore defines a set of generic mechanisms for building the topology, but leaves a large number of parameterizations possible in order to adapt it to a specific environment. The administrator in charge of the RPL network must therefore carefully configure the RPL protocol.

RPL is part of the work carried out by the IETF to define an IPv6 architecture for LLNs. The choice of IPv6 at the IP level is a coherent one, given the virtually unlimited IPv6 address space (the famous figure of...