Efficient Bloom Filter-Based Routing Protocol for Scalable Mobile Networks

Abstract

Non-geographic routing protocols are inefficient when applied to large-scale mobile networks composed of hundreds of nodes. On the other hand, geographic routing protocols have the disadvantage of needing a location sensor. The goal is to address the challenges of efficient content retrieval and routing scalability in NDN-based networks by leveraging the benefits of both NDN and Bloom Filter technologies. In this article we propose a routing protocol for mobile networks, which is scalable to networks composed of hundreds of nodes. The protocol does not require any localization equipment and is adapted for devices with limited memory and/or processing resources. This goal is achieved through the use of Bloom Filters to efficiently store and spread topological information. In the methodology followed, nodes do not forward messages with topological information to other nodes. To make the process efficient, each node aggregates the topological information it receives from its direct neighbors with its own and only the result of this operation is transmitted to the remaining nodes. Several simulations were carried out in the Qualnet network simulator in order to validate the algorithm proposed by the Hybrid Routing Algorithm with NDNs (HRAN). The obtained results were compared with other non-geographic protocols for mobile networks. HRAN seems to be a routing protocol designed for MANETs, utilizing Bloom Filters to manage topological information. A Bloom Filter is a data structure used to test whether an element is a member of a set. It uses a bit array and multiple hash functions to determine if an element is present in the set. This type of data structure allows storing a large amount of binary information in an efficient way, reducing the resources required by the routing protocol.

Keywords

• routing protocols
• bloom filters
• hybrid routing algorithm with NDNs (HRAN)
• binary information
• mobile networks