A framework for self-healing and optimizing routing techniques for mobile ad hoc networks

On demand routing protocols provide scalable and cost-effective solutions for packet routing in mobile wireless ad hoc networks. The paths generated by these protocols may deviate far from the optimal because of the lack of knowledge about the global topology and the mobility of nodes. Routing optimality affects network performance and energy consumption, especially when the load is high. In this paper, we define routing optimality using different metrics such as path length, energy consumption along the path, and energy aware load balancing among the nodes. We then propose a framework of Self-Healing and Optimizing Routing Techniques (SHORT) for mobile ad hoc networks. While using SHORT, all the neighboring nodes monitor the route and try to optimize it if and when a better local subpath is available. Thus SHORT enhances performance in terms of bandwidth and latency without incurring any significant additional cost. In addition, SHORT can be also used to determine paths that result in low energy consumption or to optimize the residual battery power. Thus, we have detailed two broad classes of SHORT algorithms: Path-Aware SHORT and Energy-Aware SHORT. Finally, we evaluate SHORT using the ns-2 simulator. The results demonstrate that the performance of existing routing schemes can be significantly improved using the proposed SHORT algorithms.