Interoperable Security, Routing and Quality of Service for Ad-Hoc Network Mobility

The integration of various network-level functions, including routing, management, and security, is critical to the efficient operation of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). This paper focuses on network mobility, implying the movement of entire subnetworks with respect to one another, while individual users initially associated with one such subnetwork may also move to other domains. One example is a battlefield network that includes ships, aircraft, and ground troops. In this network of networks, subnets (e.g., shipboard networks) may be interconnected via a terrestrial mobile wireless network (e.g., between moving ships). We discuss the design and implementation of a new ad hoc routing protocol, a suite of solutions for policy-based network management, and approaches for key management and deployment of IPsec in a MANET. These solutions are integrated with real-time middleware, a secure radio link, and a topology monitoring tool. We briefly describe each component of the solution and focus on the challenges and approaches to integrating these components into a cohesive system to support network mobility. We evaluate the effectiveness of the system through experiments conducted in a wireless ad hoc testbed. Prepared in cooperation with Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Presented at the Symposium on Military Communications organised by the Information Systems Technology Panel (IST) in Rome, Italy on 18-19 Apr 2005 and published in proceedings of the same as Paper 21, Dec 2006. See also ADM202750, RTO-MP-IST-054, Military Communications (Les communications militaires). The original document contains color images.