Internet Draft                                                 S. Corson
Expiration: May 1999                              University of Maryland
File: draft-ietf-manet-appl-00.txt                         November 1998

             MANET Routing Protocol Applicability Statement

Status of this Memo

   This document is an Internet-Draft.  Internet-Drafts are working
   documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas,
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   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.


Abstract

   This memo puts forth a set of questions regarding Mobile Ad hoc
   Network (MANET) routing protocol functionality and applicability.
   Authors of MANET routing protocol draft submissions are requested to
   include these questions (and corresponding answers) in a section in
   their submissions.  The intent of this 'Applicability Section' is to
   aid readers unfamiliar with the details of each protocol's design in
   understanding the protocol's basic characteristics, functioning and
   mechanisms, as well as to provide a general description of the
   networking context for which the protocol was designed, and in which
   it is expected to perform well.

1. Introduction

   The set of applications for which the use of MANET technology is
   envisioned is diverse, ranging from small, energy-constrained nearly
   static networks to large-scale, mobile, highly-dynamic networks.  The
   combinations of network size, topology composition and dynamics,
   bandwidth and energy availability, physical and link-layer
   technologies, intended application usages, etc. are many, and it



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   seems unlikely that a single protocol will function superiorly over
   this wide range of networking contexts.  Thus a given protocol is
   likely to be well-suited for operation in those networks whose
   characteristics match well with the combination of mechanisms
   employed by the protocol.

   This document poses questions to the designers of MANET routing
   protocols, the answers to which will hopefully:

      (1) aid developers and users in understanding the basic mechanisms
      employed by a protocol and

      (2) help users make better selections of which protocol to
      consider using by matching its mechanisms with the characteristics
      of their networking context and application.

2.  Applicability Section Framework

   This section is intended to form the basis of a mandatory
   "Applicability Section" to be included in each draft/RFC of the
   proposed MANET control protocols.

2.1 Networking Context

   Please describe the intended "networking context" for the protocol;
   i.e., the type of networking environment for which the protocol is
   best suited.  This description can be as vague or specific as is
   known to the authors.

2.2 Protocol Characteristics and Mechanisms

   The following questions identify protocol characteristics that may
   affect a protocol's suitability for various networking environments
   and applications.

   * Does the protocol provide support for unidirectional links? (if so,
   how?)

   * Does the protocol require the use of tunneling? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol require using some form of source routing? (if
   so, how?)

   * Does the protocol require the use of periodic messaging? (if so,
   how?)

   * Does the protocol require the use of reliable or sequenced packet
   delivery? (if so, how?)



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   * Does the protocol provide support for routing through a multi-
   technology routing fabric? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol provide support for multiple hosts per router?
   (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol support the IP addressing architecture? (if so,
   how?)

   * Does the protocol require link or neighbor status sensing (if so,
   how?)

   * Does the protocol have dependence on a central entity? (if so,
   how?)

   * Does the protocol function reactively? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol function proactively? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol provide loop-free routing? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol provide for sleep period operation? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol provide some form of security? (if so, how?)

   * Does the protocol provide support for utilizing multi-channel,
   link-layer technologies? (if so, how?)


Author's Address

   M. Scott Corson
   Institute for Systems Research
   University of Maryland
   College Park, MD 20742
   (301) 405-6630
   corson@isr.umd.edu














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