ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the state of the art, giving consideration to the three main tool categories that have emerged. It considers simulation systems, testbed systems, and in situ debugging systems. Network simulation has been used as a testing tool in networked and distributed systems for many years. The use of network simulators in testing sensor network applications is only natural. Network simulation has become one of the most important diagnostic and evaluation instruments in the sensor network developer’s toolbox. One of the most significant advantages of testing sensor network software on a testbed is that developers get to see how their software behaves on real hardware. COOJA is a discrete event simulator that simulates a sensor network across multiple levels—network, operating system, and machine code. Harvard University’s MoteLab testbed was among the first wireless sensor network testbeds described in the literature and remains one of the most well-recognized community resources for evaluating wireless sensor network systems.
