A toolbox of mechanisms for robust and scalable service discovery in mobile ad-hoc networks

Scenarios for scalable and robust service discovery in MANETs differ vastly with respect to their basic conditions. Basic conditions, for example, are field size, level of mobility and number of nodes. Depending on context and scenario, a number of mechanisms for scalable and robust service discovery in MANETs were and are in discussion. This paper assigns service discovery solutions to scenario requirements and presents the performance of the hybrid concept Hydra. Hydra uses multiple basic mechanisms for service discovery that were combined to simultaneously fulfill the requirements for robustness, scalability and high service dynamics. The paper finishes with the vision of a scenario-independent service discovery toolbox for MANETs: Context parameters are controlled automatically and basic mechanisms can be exchanged as needed.