Robust router reconfiguration in large dynamic networks

In the current IP protocol suite there is a tradeoff between scalability and the maximum allowable mobility. Flat MANET routing protocols can deal with high mobility, but cannot scale to support the thousands of mobile routers needed in the Army´s Future Combat System. Using IP subnets and hierarchical domains provides scalability, but breaks existing configuration protocols (A. McAuley, et al., 2002) in high mobile networks (e.g., network splits lead to conflicting routing tables). This evidences the need for router mobility detection and dynamic reconfiguration mechanisms in scalable mobile networking. This paper describes a new beacon protocol to allow rapid detection of IP router movements, including network splitting and merging, within large hierarchical domains. It detects movement by identifying each IP subnets and higher-level domains with a beacon node; and, by not relying on network configuration, IP routing, or any fixed nodes, it is robust to any network changes. Nodes can optionally report topology changes to the beacon node with low overhead.