Using a new protocol to enhance path reliability and realize load balancing in mobile ad hoc networks

In this paper we introduce a novel end-to-end approach for achieving the dual goal of enhanced reliability under path failures, and multi-path load balancing in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). These goals are achieved by fully exploiting the presence of multiple paths in mobile ad hoc networks in order to jointly attack the problems of frequent route failures and load balancing. More specifically, we built a disjoint-path identification mechanism for maintaining multiple routes between two endpoints on top of the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), and the Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) protocol. A number of additional modifications are incorporated to the SCTP protocol in order to allow its smooth operation. The proposed approach differs from previously related work since it consists of an entirely end-to-end scheme built on top of a transport layer protocol. We provide both analytical and simulation results that prove the efficiency of our approach over a wide range of mobility scenarios.