On the Sensitivity of Sensor Network Simulations

The availability of simulators and emulators that are tailored for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is a necessary step in allowing accurate evaluation, but simply having the right tools is not sufficient to ensure that the results of experiments actually correspond to what might be expected in realistic deployments. The critical issue is what models are available in these tools, and if these are used in an appropriate manner. In this paper we review the current approaches to WSN experimentation and identify a serious shortcoming in common simulation methodology, specifically in regard to the choice of network topologies and traffic models. We hypothesize that this mismatch has an important impact on the sensitivity of published sensor network simulations. We support our hypothesis using an analysis of the directed diffusion protocol