MMAN - a monitor for mobile ad hoc networks
Hanif S. Kazemi, George C. Hadjichristofi, Luiz A. DaSilva · 2008
Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs) are networks in which mobile routers are connected via wireless links forming dynamic topologies. An important function of network management in a MANET is to observe network conditions: at the node level, this may mean keeping track of the traffic load; at the network level, the system must monitor active routes and changes in the network topology. In this research, we introduce a Monitor for Mobile Ad hoc Networks, (MMAN) to address the challenges of monitoring MANETs. We formulate an overall design structure and present an implementation of our framework for a MANET running the Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol. The unobtrusive and distributed nature of MMAN allows the system to adapt to the constantly changing nature of MANETs and to provide valuable network management, security assessment, and traffic analysis information. Our system produces a dynamic picture of the network level and node level information on a graphical user interface. The system is non-intrusive, generates no additional traffic in the MANET it monitors, and requires only modest processing and storage resources.