Network utility maximization-based Mobile Ad hoc Networking: A reality check
Prasanta Bose, Andrew L. Zimdars, Alain Carrier, Julee Pandya, Mark Quilling, Vadim Slavin, Tamer ElBatt · 2008
In this paper we present a network utility maximization (NUM)-based architecture developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Control-Based Mobile Ad hoc Networking (CBMANET) program, namely Mobility-Aware Resource Coordination for Optimization of Networking Infrastructure (MARCONI). MARCONI plays a fundamental role not only in advancing NUM theory to address tactical communication requirements but also in developing and integrating the algorithms and decision rules into a software stack. NUM theory was originally limited to unicast, elastic, long-lived flows. Therefore, it was imperative to extend it to inelastic flows with strict deadlines (e.g. video & voice). MARCONI has also developed and integrated the Joint Routing and Admission Control Protocol (JRAP) for unicast flows, Regulated-Contention MAC (RC-MAC) which controls the contention window using backpressure signals for a 2-hop neighborhood and, finally, Per Flow Queuing (PFQ) packet scheduler congestion control using backpressure signaling. MARCONI has revealed key insights into designing NUM-based networking stacks, e.g. the limitations of maximizing rate utility irrespective of communication reliability.