Broadcast Abstraction in a Stochastic Calculus for Mobile Networks

International audienceWe introduce a continuous time stochastic broadcast calculus for mobile and wireless networks. The mobility between nodes in a network is modeled by a stochastic mobility function which allows to change part of a network topology depending on an exponentially distributed delay and a network topology constraint. We allow continuous time stochastic behavior of processes running at network nodes, e.g. in order to be able to model randomized protocols. The introduction of group broadcast and an operator to help avoid flooding allows us to define a novel notion of broadcast abstraction. Finally, we define a weak bisimulation congruence and apply our theory on a leader election protocol

Broadcast abstraction in a stochastic calculus for mobile networks

International audience We introduce a continuous time stochastic broadcast calculus for mobile and wireless networks. The mobility between nodes in a network is modeled by a stochastic mobility function which allows to change part of a network topology depending on an exponentially distributed delay and a network topology constraint. We allow continuous time stochastic behavior of processes running at network nodes, e.g. in order to be able to model randomized protocols. The introduction of group broadcast and an operator to help avoid flooding allows us to define a novel notion of broadcast abstraction. Finally, we define a weak bisimulation congruence and apply our theory on a leader election protocol. Document type: Part of book or chapter of boo

Modelling MAC-Layer Communications in Wireless Systems

We present a timed process calculus for modelling wireless networks in which individual stations broadcast and receive messages; moreover the broadcasts are subject to collisions. Based on a reduction semantics for the calculus we define a contextual equivalence to compare the external behaviour of such wireless networks. Further, we construct an extensional LTS (labelled transition system) which models the activities of stations that can be directly observed by the external environment. Standard bisimulations in this LTS provide a sound proof method for proving systems contextually equivalence. We illustrate the usefulness of the proof methodology by a series of examples. Finally we show that this proof method is also complete, for a large class of systems

A process algebra for wireless mesh networks used for modelling, verifying and analysing AODV

We propose AWN (Algebra for Wireless Networks), a process algebra tailored to the modelling of Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) and Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) protocols. It combines novel treatments of local broadcast, conditional unicast and data structures. In this framework we present a rigorous analysis of the Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) protocol, a popular routing protocol designed for MANETs and WMNs, and one of the four protocols currently standardised by the IETF MANET working group. We give a complete and unambiguous specification of this protocol, thereby formalising the RFC of AODV, the de facto standard specification, given in English prose. In doing so, we had to make non-evident assumptions to resolve ambiguities occurring in that specification. Our formalisation models the exact details of the core functionality of AODV, such as route maintenance and error handling, and only omits timing aspects. The process algebra allows us to formalise and (dis)prove crucial properties of mesh network routing protocols such as loop freedom and packet delivery. We are the first to provide a detailed proof of loop freedom of AODV. In contrast to evaluations using simulation or model checking, our proof is generic and holds for any possible network scenario in terms of network topology, node mobility, etc. Due to ambiguities and contradictions the RFC specification allows several interpretations; we show for more than 5000 of them whether they are loop free or not, thereby demonstrating how the reasoning and proofs can relatively easily be adapted to protocol variants. Using our formal and unambiguous specification, we find shortcomings of AODV that affect performance, e.g. the establishment of non-optimal routes, and some routes not being found at all. We formalise improvements in the same process algebra; carrying over the proofs is again easy