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Definitions[]

Computing[]

A cluster (also cluster computing system) is

[a] group of linked computers that work together as if they were a single computer, for high availability and/or load balancing.[1]

Industrial[]

Clusters are

geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field that are present in a nation or region. Clusters arise because they increase the productivity with which companies can compete. The development and upgrading of clusters is an important agenda for governments, companies, and other institutions. Cluster development initiatives are an important new direction in economic policy, building on earlier efforts in macroeconomic stabilization, privatization, market opening, and reducing the costs of doing business.[2]

Internet of Things[]

A cluster is "an abstract grouping of sensors that can appear and disappear instantaneously."[3]

Overview (Internet of Things)[]

Basic properties, assumptions, recommendations, and general statements about cluster include:

1. Clusters are abstractions of a set of sensors along with the data they output — clusters may be created in an ad hoc manner or organized according to fixed rules.
2. Clusters are not inherently physical.
3. Ci is essentially a cluster of the sensor data from n ≥ 1 sensors, {d1, d2, d3, ..., dn}.
4. Ci may share one or more sensors with Ck, where i ≠ k, or with other NoTs. This is somewhat important, because competing organizations may be receiving data that they believe to be unique and purposed only for them to receive, and not realizing a competitor is also receiving the same sensor data.
5. Continuous-binding of a sensor to a cluster may result in little ability to mitigate trustworthiness concerns of a real-time NoT if the binding occurs late.
6. Clusters are malleable and can change their collection of sensors and their data at any time.
7. The composition of clusters is dependent on what mechanism is employed to aggregate the data, which ultimately impacts the purpose and requirements of a specific NoT.

Note item 4 in the above list; it is subtly important — it relates to business competition for highly valued data.

References[]

  1. Cloud Computing Strategic Direction Paper, Glossary, at 42.
  2. See Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness (full-text).
  3. NIST Special Publication 800-183, at 5.

Source[]

See also[]

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