GC-ZRP: Cross-layer architecture based geographical network condition aware zone routing protocol for MANET

Abstract

The exponential rise in the demands for Quality of Service (QoS) centric wireless transmission systems has revitalized academia-industries to develop more efficient routing solutions to serve reliable communication. However, classical wireless communication protocols are confined due to static and resource constrained network scenarios. Up-surging mobile-communication demands require more scalable, reliable, QoS-centric routing even under dynamic topology conditions. For a large-scale wireless network, zone-based routing approaches that embody both reactive as well as proactive network management strategies have been found significant; however traditional routing decisions confines its efficacy for dynamic topology-based networking solutions such as Mobile Adhoc Networks (MANETs). MANET that often undergoes exceedingly high topological and network conditions changes requires optimal routing model with augmented network-awareness, multi-parameter assisted route decision etc to achieve QoS provision. With this motivation, in this paper a robust Cross-Layer Architecture Based Geographical Network Condition Aware Zone Routing Protocol (GC-ZRP) has been developed for QoS assurance over MANETs. Unlike classical ZRPs, GC-ZRP applies cross-layer architecture with, Network layer, Medium Access Control (MAC) layer and Physical layer to perform enhanced Service Differentiation and Fair Resource Scheduling (SDFRS), Proactive Network Management (PNM), Dynamic Link Quality Estimation, packet velocity estimation and congestion detection models, which are performed at the different layers of the standard IEEE 802.11a protocol stack. The multiple network parameters based best forwarding path formation enables GC-ZRP to exhibit optimal packet delivery ratio, minimum packet loss and deadline miss ratio for real-time data traffic while ensuring maximum possible performance for non-real time data traffic.