Highly Dynamic Destination-Sequenced Distance-Vector Routing (DSDV) for Mobile Computers

Abstract

An ad-hoc network is the cooperative engagement of a collection of Mobile Hosts without the required intervention of any centralized Access Point. In this paper we present an innovative design for the operation of such ad-hoc networks. The basic idea of the design is to operate each Mobile Host as a specialized router, which periodically advertises its view of the interconnection topology with other Mobile Hosts within the network. This amounts to a new sort of routing protocol. We have investigated modifications to the basic BellmanFord routing mechanisms, as specified by the Routing Information Protocol, making it suitable for a dynamic and self-starting network mechanism as is required by users wishing to utilize ad-hoc networks. Our modifications address some of the previous objections to the use of Bellman-Ford, related to the poor looping properties of such algorithms in the face of broken links and the resulting time dependent nature of the interconnection topology describing th..