Advanced Metering Infrastructure

This type of network connects smart meters and smart devices within home premises. It also provides low cost monitoring and control of the electric devices to reduce energy consumption. Both low range wired and wireless technologies are used for building such networks, though wireless technologies are more dominant. These technologies include 2.4 GHz WiFi, 802.11 wireless networking protocol, ZigBee and HomePlug. The smart meters are made up of many sensors and data sources. Lightweight security mechanisms are needed for the sensors used in the smart meters as they are generally resource constrained.

This network performs the task of connecting an AMI end in the local utility network and a data concentrator. Data concentrator collects data from a group of SMs over a network and sends this bulk data to the head-end. AMI head-end manages the information exchanges between external systems, such as MDMS and AMI network.

It is mainly the combination of a number of HANs, where all types of necessary information such as power consumption data, appliances control and security alarms are transmitted to achieve energy management

It is the central communication component of smart grid infrastructure that connects a WAN with a network of devices of one or more smart meters. SMGW maintains communication between the consumer with his consuming and generating devices and are secure from physical attacks. SMGW has a security module that takes care of basic authentication and aggregation of messages sent by various meters on their way to the control center.