Managing Wireless Mesh Networks - Analysis and Proposals

A mesh network allows nodes or access points to communicate with each other without being routed through a central switch point, eliminating centralized failure and providing self-healing & self-organization. Although decisions on traffic are made locally, the system can be managed globally. In this paper, a preliminary study on Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) management is presented, pointing out the different managements functions required to maintain the network reliability. A decomposition of WMNs management functions into key areas is presented and analyzed. The state-of-the-art management protocols for WMNs are explored and classified according to the proposed key areas.