Wireless Mobile Ad Hoc Network Topology Management Techniques

Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET), composed of wireless nodes as the main computer and router, is a wireless multi-hop network without pre-established infrastructure. All of the nodes have the same status and functions. There is no central controller and the MANET is completely distributed structure. Because of its convenience, quickness and robust, the MANET can be used as temporary communication in such cases without infrastructure as under emergency or for military purpose.At present, the research on the Ad Hoc network is mainly engaged in route protocol; while research in the management of Ad Hoc network is seldom involved. As the development of network technology, the expansion of network scale, the incensement of network complexity and the improvement of network functions, the network management has become the key to the network operation, and the Topology Discovery becomes the basis of other functions of network management, such as configuration, performance, fault management and so on. Therefore it is very important to find the network Topology Diagram for monitoring the whole network and obtaining complete network information in order to guarantee the network to operate efficiently and stably. Topology Discovery technology is one of the most fundamental but important network management technologies, which plays an important role in providing route strategy, controlling blocking, strengthening network connecting and ect.. Topology Discovery means to find every element unit in the network and their interconnection, including various interconnecting equipment, such as router, bridge, exchanger, main computer and sub-network and so on. Due to the dynamic feature of Ad Hoc network nodes, its Topology is dynamic, therefore the main aim of Topology control is to learn the Topology structure at any time to provide convenience for the network monitoring and management.Mobile Ad Hoc network and various scenarios of network management are firstly introduced in this paper, among which the Ad Hoc network management protocol(ANMP) is introduced in more details. Then based on a lot of relevant references, the algorithm of the Ad Hoc Network Topology Discovery is researched, especially the Hierarchic and Distributed Configuration Topology Discovery algorithm based on the mobile agent and the coloring algorithm based on local minimizing major control. Regarding these two algorithms, both the theoretical analysis and justification are processed. Following that, the simulation of the coloring algorithm based on local minimizing major control is processed by the present popular OPNET network simulating tool, and the simulating tests are carried our under the cases of different node numbers, different covering scope and different node moving speed. Finally, based on the analysis results, the advantages of improved the coloring algorithm based on local minimizing major control are given.