Autonomic and load-adaptive optimization of beacon exchange rate for proactive configuration in ubiquitous MANETs

Proactive self-configuration is indispensable for MANETs like ubiquitous sensor networks (USNs), as component devices of the network are usually exposed to natural or man-made disasters due to the hostile deployment and ad hoc nature of USNs. Network state beacons (NSBs) are exchanged among the key nodes of the network for crucial and effective monitoring of the network for steady state operation. The rate of beacon exchange (F_E) and its contents, define the time and nature of the proactive action. Therefore it is very important to optimize these parameters to tune the functional response of the USN. The paper presents a novel F_E selection model based on autonomic, load-adaptive optimization of beacon exchange rate for monitoring and proactively reconfiguring the network. The results confirm the improved throughput while maintaining QoS with a little overhead control traffic.