A study of link state flooding optimizations for scalable wireless networks

Several methods have recently been proposed to improve link state protocol efficiency within wireless ad hoc networks. One class of approaches targets the reduction of link state control overhead that contributes to network-wide broadcast storms, therefore enhancing protocol scalability. We have implemented and studied two such methods and demonstrate and discuss their relative performance characteristics. We present early simulation analysis over a number of scalability factors, including average nodal density and network diameter (maximum path length). Based upon initial results, we demonstrate that the two approaches to link state overhead reduction are somewhat complementary and that they provide additional benefit when applied together in many topologies studied. While both approaches are valid scalable flooding techniques, we discuss further the relative merits and potential disadvantages of each technique.