Managing a QoS-enabled Bluetooth Mesh network using a Digital Twin Network: An experimental evaluation

Abstract

Bluetooth Mesh technology adds mesh topology capabilities to the Bluetooth ecosystem. To facilitate a more widespread deployment of Bluetooth Mesh networks within use cases that require meshing capabilities, it is important to strive towards an efficient management solution, based upon a variety of optimization strategies. This paper evaluates a novel approach leveraging the capabilities of a Digital Twin Network to enhance the performance of a Quality -of -Serviceenabled Bluetooth Mesh network. The study explores various configurations, either based on expert -knowledge, algorithmically suggested or determined using the Digital Twin Network. Through a comprehensive evaluation process, the paper analyzes key metrics across these configurations. Notably, the Digital Twin Network -based configurations demonstrate robust performance, outperforming other configurations even in scenarios with concurrent application flows. The findings highlight the potential of the Digital Twin Network to effectively manage Bluetooth Mesh networks of diverse complexity and expose future research opportunities regarding reporting and monitoring overhead.