| This dissertation introduces a new IP multicasting protocol called, “Hierarchical Level-based IP Multicasting” (HLIM) protocol which is able to provide efficient, scalable, and survivable multicasting for tactical wireless mobile environments where nodes (e.g., routers) are connected in hierarchy. The HLIM has been derived from the concepts of simplicity and efficiency in multicast dissemination, and flexible administrated multicast scope with the considerations of the nature of hierarchical and wireless network environments.; Unlike the existing IP multicasting protocols, HLIM can provide a shared and shortest-path multicast tree without using a center point like a core or rendezvous point. Also in the perspectives of the utilization of multicast traffics, it generates less control overhead and unnecessary multicast traffics than the existing multicasting protocols. In addition to that, it supports not only host mobility (movements of IP hosts) but also network mobility (movements of IP routers with/without hosts) that has not been addressed by the existing multicasting protocols.; The fill specifications of HLIM protocol are defined and described along with the operations for processing each HLIM and the newly modified IGMP messages. Also the format of each message is defined and illustrated, and the associated IP headers are specified. This dissertation also includes the analytical comparisons of the HLIM and the existing multicasting protocols in terms of control traffic overhead and multicast data traffic utilization on link.; The description of software architecture and implementations of HLIM in Linux OS are included. The flows of HLIM and IGMP messages and multicast data messages between hosts and routers are described. In the laboratory testbed environment, the basic operation of HLIM, host and network mobility operations, and survivability of HLIM have been tested and the associated performances are measured. |
