NeTS: Small: Understanding Communication Strategies for Ad hoc Networks

Ad-hoc网络有着巨大的前景，但是关于组织这样的网络，存在着大量相互竞争的建议。不幸的是，在任何给定的部署中，通常不清楚如何在各种建议的设计中进行选择。作为回应，这个项目提出了一个基本问题：节点的集合应该如何决定在组织成网络时采用什么基本架构？候选基本架构包括那些通过传统路由协议组织、采用流行协议或使用容忍延迟的网络协议的架构。这个项目处理这个问题的方式是决定网络中应该保持什么样的状态，以及这种状态应该保持多久。相关状态包括控制状态（网络属性）和数据状态（传输中的数据）。该项目将网络的动态属性与控制的性质和需要维护的数据状态连接起来。关键的项目输出是网络和流量特征的识别，这些特征可用于确定适当的控制水平和数据状态维护。这些特征对不同类别的传播策略的影响正在被严格评估。利用已确定的特征，该项目正在开发信号机制，以确保通信策略最佳地适应不断变化的网络条件。该项目的结果将是在新环境中创建特设网络的更强大和广泛有效的方法。这样的环境可以包括战场和灾后部署，在这些环境中，网络必须在意想不到的情况下快速创建。

Ad-hoc networks hold great promise, but there is a vast array of competing proposals for organizing such networks. Unfortunately it is unclear, in general, how to choose among the various proposed designs in any given deployment. In response, this project is asking a fundamental question: how should a collection of nodes decide what basic architecture to adopt in organizing into a network? Candidate basic architectures include those that organize via traditional routing protocols, employ epidemic protocols, or use delay-tolerant networking protocols. This project approaches the question as one of deciding what state should be maintained, and how long that state should be maintained, in the network. Relevant state includes both control state (properties of the network) and data state (the data in transit). The project is connecting dynamic properties of the network with the nature of control and data state to be maintained. A key project output is an identification of the network and traffic characteristics that can be used to determine an appropriate level of control and data state maintenance. The effect of these characteristics on the different classes of communication strategies is being rigorously evaluated. Using the characteristics that are identified, the project is developing signaling mechanisms to ensure that communication strategies optimally adapt to changing network conditions. The result of the project will be more robust and broadly effective methods for creating ad hoc networks in new environments. Such environments can include battlefields as well as post-disaster deployments, where networks must be created quickly under unanticipated conditions.