A dynamic routing protocol for broadband networks

An efficient dynamic routing protocol is necessary for future broadband networks where a variety of services with different characteristics and QoS requirements are integrated. The main components of a dynamic routing protocol are the exchange of topology state information, the routing algorithm and the routing decision. The exchange of topology state information helps in keeping the network nodes updated on the network status and hence making the correct routing decision. The routing algorithm is responsible for computing the best paths for different source-destination pairs. The routing decision taken at a node decides the path to be followed by a certain call. Different alternatives are possible in the design of each of these components leading to different scenarios for the routing protocol. These different scenarios are examined based on both analytical and/or simulation results and the one with the best results in terms of efficiency as well as various performance measures is presented. The simulation is carried out over a practical network topology; the NSFNET