Design and implementation of Bundle protocol stack for Delay-Tolerant Networking

Abstract

The Internet family of protocols (TCP/IP) has dominated the computer network communications; offering services such as worldwide web (WWW), file transfer (FTP), e-mail and voice-over-IP (VoIP) to the scientific, research and business communalities and to the common users. The TCP/IP protocols are also merging with other telecommunication paradigms such as 3G and 4G cellular networks. Despite of wide deployment, TCP/IP protocols are ill suited for some extreme networks because of some strict fundamental assumptions regarding end-to-end communication, built-into their architecture. These assumptions do not always hold in the emerging challenged networks such as mobile ad hoc networks, deep space communication, sensor networks, low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites etc., because of variable requirements of bandwidth, longer end-to-end delays, intermittent connectivity and higher error rates.

Delay-Tolerant Networking tries to solve some of the issues by relaxing many of the assumptions used in the TCP/IP regarding end-to-end communication. It defines an overlay network for end-to-end message delivery, which uses the Bundle protocol. In the thesis work, we have implemented the Bundle protocol stack for Symbian based smart phones to extend DTN for mobile phone based interpersonal communication and the networks formed by socializing of people. We have also designed and implemented a convergence layer for Bluetooth. The software architecture is generic, extensible and provides API for the development of customized DTN applications for mobile phones.