## 5 The Proposed Protocol
### Communication Overhead of the Proposed Protocol
#### 5.6.2 Optimized Data Fusion in Devices/Links Failures and Recovery  
Device/link failures in IoT-enabled WSNs are unavoidable because of hazardous conditions, short battery life, and hardware failures. Data fusion plays a critical role in maintaining the robustness and continuity of operations during devices or link failures. Thus, to keep the network functional, optimized data fusion grouping algorithms need not only to be able to detect these kinds of failures and recover from them but also need to enable the network to aggregate and reconcile information from multiple SNs, even when parts of the network are compromised. By integrating redundancy-aware algorithms, the proposed protocol ensures minimal information loss and maintains accuracy in decision-making. Furthermore, recovery strategies are boosted by exploiting adaptive CI, which dynamically recalibrates the network based on real-time failure patterns. This optimization not only enhances fault tolerance but also reduces latency in restoring operational integrity, providing a resilient backbone for critical IoT applications. The following demonstrates the precise methods used to maintain this. An FSDFH and SSDFH are essential to maintaining the resilience and reliability of the network in the proposed protocol. An FSDFH and SSDFH's main job is to carry out the main PDFH's tasks in the case of breakdown. This way, data processing and communication within a DFG may continue without any major delays. Since PDFH serves as a major hub for data aggregation and coordination, its failure might result in serious data loss and communication problems; hence, redundancy is crucial. The network may bounce back from PDFH failures faster when it has an FSDFH and SSDFH, which increases the proposed protocol's overall stability and lifespan. By applying the MPA method, the PDFH, FSDFH, and SSDFH selections take place concurrently, with FSDFH having the second-lowest DFFF among DFGMs, SSDFH having the third-lowest DFFF, and PDFH having the lowest. As a result, DFGMs send data to PDFH, FSDFH, and SSDFH, keeping in mind that both FSDFH and SSDFH also have the responsibility of delivering data to PDFH, ensuring that all devices are used effectively. In this regard, both FSDFH and SSDFH maintain identical data to that of PDFH. The data are subsequently consolidated by PDFH and sent, either directly or through PRs, to the sink node. If PDFH malfunctions, FSDFH takes over, combines the data it receives, and sends them just as PDFH does. FSDFH uses TDMA, just like PDFH, but it remains in active mode to guarantee that it receives data from all DFGMs, much like PDFH does. On the other hand, SSDFH does the same tasks if both PDFH and FSDFH fail. When designing the proposed protocol, a critical mechanism that we take into account to guarantee the reliability of the network and early detection of device/link failures is periodic health check messages. Under this strategy, SNs routinely transmit data messages together with status updates to either their PDFH, FSDFH, and SSDFH or directly to the sink node, while they send these updates to the sink node. Generally speaking, battery levels, transmit/receive circuits, signal strength, data transmission status, and operational health are all included in these updates. The network can quickly detect any device/link failures before they develop into costly problems by continually monitoring these parameters. By prolonging the lifespan of the proposed protocol and enabling immediate actions like local and global repairs, this proactive approach preserves optimal network performance. In simple terms, periodic health check messages help to ensure reliable and consistent data transmission even in the event of device or link failures by enabling the efficient utilization of resources and enhancing the network's overall robustness and resilience. By addressing failures at various levels, the proposed protocol includes both local and global repair techniques, enabling fast recovery from device/link failures and the maintenance of optimal performance.