An Agent-Based Connection Management Protocol for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

Supporting high volume of data transmission in a highly dynamic architecture like Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANET) still remains a major point of research. In this paper, we have attempted to address the issue of managing an uninterrupted connection between a source and a destination through multiple paths in a temporal domain. We have developed an agent-centric protocol that would accomplish uninterrupted communication over adaptively selected routes. The protocol ensures minimal consumption of network resources. We have organized this work in two logical steps. In the first part, we have described an agent-based framework with its associated protocols and mechanisms. The primary objective of this mobile multiagent framework is to make all nodes in the system topology-aware. We have used the GPS (Global Positioning System) support at each node for the extraction of geographical coordinates, velocity, and direction of movement of each node. The second part of the work attempts to make use of this topology awareness in the context of establishing and managing a connection between two nodes. The agent-enabled proactive replenishment of fresh topology information enables each node to constantly evaluate network conditions and to take decisions on adaptive route selection.