Middleware Architecture - History and Adaptation with IEEE 802.11

Communication, which intends to provide a link between any two people, is now moving towards man-to-machine and machine-to-machine connection for transferring different types of data. This transmission scenario, with and ever expanding number of active and passive users, lays the foundation to variety of communication protocols owing to the different types of data which is involved in the process. Within this ever expanding communication arena, Middle-ware can be thought of as a set of hardware and software which is used to connect different platforms with the end-users that are increasing in number day-by-day, with a possible wide spread over any region spanning from few meters to several kilometers. IEEE 802.11 is the set of standards which guides the wireless technology for device implementation and demands seamless integration across the entire protocol stack. This in turn demands an overview of the middleware architecture in broader perspective. This chapter explores the concept of middleware in the existing communication scenario, current trends and future scope