A flocking-based model for DoS-resilient communication routing in smart grid

We study the modeling of communication routing strategies in wide area monitoring systems based on flocking theory. We assert that analogies exist between the flocking principles of behavioral transitions, collision avoidance and obstacle avoidance and the routing goals of adaptability, buffer overflow management and re-routing in the presence of changing network conditions. Our model is dynamic and can easily be incorporated in existing flocking-based models of power system operation to provide an overall hierarchical cyber-physical model for a smart grid. Through simulations we show how our model can provide insight on effective routing strategies to promote the transient stabilization of faulted power systems in the presence of denial-of-service attacks on communications infrastructure.