A Mobile Code-based Multi-Routing Protocol Architecture for Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking

Abstract

In this thesis, we include code in the messages to improve Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) performance. Store-carry-and-forward DTN protocols offer new possibilities in scenarios where there are intermittent connectivity, asymmetric bandwidths, long and variable latency and ambiguous mobility patterns. However, there are scenarios where current DTN mechanisms are not efficient enough, for example when several applications need to coexist. In this study we present a general purpose architecture for this type of scenarios based upon the idea of letting the application, by means of its messages, decide the behavior of every intermediate node. The keystone of this proposal is to carry the routing algorithm code along with every single message. The resulting DTN can be used by different heterogeneous applications simultaneously. This thesis uses three examples of three different scenarios to show how our architecture can be used. Firstly, it presents a general purpose, multi-application mobile node sensor network based on mobile code. This intelligent system can work in DTN scenarios. Mobile nodes host software mobile code with task missions and act as DTN routers following the store-carry-and-forward model. Secondly, it introduces a new paradigm -- \textit{store-carry-process-and-forward} -- based on mobile code to improve the integration of wireless sensor networks and grid computing infrastructures. Thirdly, it describes an emergency scenario in which different users such as policemen, firemen, doctors, paramedics, engineers or rescue teams, among others, along with portable devices such as smart phones or tablets, create the interconnected network. Opportunistic contacts among the different users permit the different applications to employ the network for very different purposes. Additionally, the proposal is complemented by an integration based on code block bundle extensions of the proposed architecture with the DTN Bundle Protocol. The feasibility and usability of the different application proposals are proved and evaluated by comparing its performance with state-of-the-art proposals.

Date of Award	11 Mar 2013
Original language	English
Supervisor	Sergi Robles Martinez (Director)