File and data distribution can be easily classified as one of the basic uses of networks. With uses ranging from Short Message Service (SMS) to program updates, from micro-blogging to social networking, every network today must support some type of file and data dissemination method. Infrastructure networks have already implemented these services using well known communication protocols. Ad hoc networks pose a greater challenge due to their sporadic network set-up. At a given time we do not know who is connected to the network, and whether the intended recipient of the data can be reached. In this paper we introduce Serval MeshMS, a protocol for ad hoc file and data distribution, enabling the diffusing of data through an ad hoc mesh network. It is based on a single-hop, store and disseminate opportunistic architecture, and has been shown to work over great distances. Preliminary implementations are encouraging, with surprising results achieved.
KeywordsInstant MessagingMobile Mesh Networks
“The World in 2010—The Rise of 3G,” 2010. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/material/FactsFigures2010.pdf
R. T. Lester, P. Ritvo, E. J. Mills, A. Kariri, S. Karanja, M. H Chung, W. Jack, J. Habyarimana, M. Sadatsafavi, M. Najafzadeh, C. A. Marra, B. Estambale, E. Ngugi, T. B. Ball, L. Thabane, L. J. Gelmon, J. Kimani, M. Ackers and F. A. Plummer, “Effects of a Mobile Phone Short Message Service on Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence in Kenya (Weltel Kenya1): A Randomised Trial,” The Lancet, Vol. 376, No. 9755, 2010, pp. 1838-1845. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61997-6
The Serval Project, 2010. http://www.servalproject.org/
D. B. Johnsorn, “Routing in Ad Hoc Networks of Mobile Hosts,” 1st Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications, Santa Cruz, 8-9 December 1994, pp. 158-163. doi:10.1109/WMCSA.1994.33
C. E. Perkins and P. Bhagwat, “Highly Dynamic Destination-Sequenced Distance-Vector Routing (DSDV) for Mobile Computers,” Proceedings of the Conference on Communications Architectures, Protocols and Applications, New York, 31 August-2 September 1994, pp. 234-244.
P. Krishna, M. Chatterjee, N. H. Vaidya and D. K. Pradhan, “A Cluster-Based Approach for Routing in Ad-Hoc Networks,” Proceedings of the 2nd Symposium on Mobile and Location-Independent Computing, Berkeley, 1995, pp. 1-10.
J. H. Luo, D. X. Ye, X. Liu and M. Y. Fan, “A Survey of Multicast Routing Protocols for Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks,” Communications Surveys Tutorials, IEEE, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2009, pp. 78-91. doi:10.1109/SURV.2009.090107
L. Chen and W. B. Heinzelman, “A Survey of Routing Protocols That Support Qos in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks,” Network, IEEE, Vol. 21, No. 6, 2007, pp. 30-38. doi:10.1109/MNET.2007.4395108
V. G. Cerf, “Report of the Second Ad Hoc Network Management Review Group,” RFC 1109, 1989.
A. Roy and M. Chandra, “Extensions to OSPF to Support Mobile Ad Hoc Networking,” RFC 5820 (Experimental), 2010.
C. Perkins, E. Belding-Royer and S. Das, “Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) Routing,” RFC 3561 (Experimental), 2003.
S. Corson and J. Macker, “Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET): Routing Protocol Performance Issues and Evaluation Considerations,” RFC 2501 (Informational), 1999.
I. Chakeres, “IANA Allocations for Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) Protocols,” RFC 5498 (Proposed Standard), 2009.
T. Clausen, C. Dearlove, J. Dean and C. Adjih, “Generalized Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) Packet/Message Format,” RFC 5444 (Proposed Standard), 2009.
Y. J. Yi, M. Gerla and T. J. Kwon, “Efficient Flooding in Ad Hoc Networks: A Comparative Performance Study,” IEEE International Conference on Communications, Vol. 2, 2003, pp. 1059-1063.
W. Zhao, M. Ammar and E. Zegura, “A Message Ferrying Approach for Data Delivery in Sparse Mobile Ad Hoc Networks,” Proceedings of the 5th ACM International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing, New York, 24-26 May 2004, pp. 187-198. doi:10.1145/989459.989483
S. Pleisch, M. Balakrishnan, K. Birman and R. van Renesse, “Mistral: Efficient Flooding in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks,” Proceedings of the 7th ACM International Symposium on Mobile Ad Hoc Networking and Computing, New York, 22-25 May 2006, pp. 1-12. doi:10.1145/1132905.1132907
W. Chen, R. K. Guha, T. J. Kwon, J. Lee and Y.-Y. Hsu, “A Survey and Challenges in Routing and Data Dissemination in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks,” Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing, Vol. 11, No. 7, 2011, pp. 787-795. doi:10.1002/wcm.862
T. R. Andel and A. Yasinsac, “On the Credibility of Manet Simulations,” Computer, Vol. 39, No. 7, 2006, pp. 48-54. doi:10.1109/MC.2006.242
S. Kurkowski, T. Camp and M. Colagrosso, “Manet Sim-Ulation Studies: The Incredibles,” SIGMOBILE Mobile Computing and Communications Review, Vol. 9, 2005, pp. 50-61. doi:10.1145/1096166.1096174
C. Partridge, “Forty Data Communications Research Questions,” SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2011, pp. 24-35. doi:10.1145/2043165.2043170
I. F. Akyildiz, X. D. Wang, and W. L. Wang, “Wireless Mesh Networks: A Survey,” Computer Networks, Vol. 47, 4, 2005, pp. 445-487. doi:10.1016/j.comnet.2004.12.001
C. Tschudin, P. Gunningberg, H. Lundgren and E. Nordstr?m, “Lessons from Experimental Manet Research,” Ad Hoc Networks, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2005, pp. 221-233. doi:10.1016/j.adhoc.2004.07.007
W. Kiess and M. Mauve, “A Survey on Real-World Implementations of Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks,” Ad Hoc Networks, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2007, pp. 324-339. doi:10.1016/j.adhoc.2005.12.003
Village Telco, 2011. http://villagetelco.org/
Openbts. http://wush.net/trac/rangepublic
Freedombox. http://www.freedomboxfoundation.org/
D. J. Bernstein, T. Lange and P. Schwabe, “Nacl: Networking and Cryptography Library,” 2012. http://nacl.cace-project.eu/
Android. http://www.android.com/
IEEE Std 802 Part 11, “Information Technology—Telecomunications and Information Exchange between Systems—Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (Mac) and Physical Layer (Phy) Specifications,” 1999.
J. Postel, “Internet Protocol,” RFC 791 (Standard), 1981.
O. Okolloh, “Ushahidi, or ‘Testimony’: Web 2.0 Tools for Crowdsourcing Crisis Information,” Participatory Learning and Action, 2009, pp. 65-70.