AODV

Definition

AODV, or Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector routing, is a reactive routing protocol designed for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) that facilitates the discovery of routes only when needed. This means it establishes routes on demand, which helps conserve bandwidth and power in wireless environments. AODV is particularly relevant for Wireless Sensor Networks as it efficiently manages dynamic network topologies and supports multicast routing, making it suitable for applications like environmental monitoring.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. AODV operates by creating routes only when needed, reducing the overhead associated with maintaining constant routes in a changing network environment.
2. It uses sequence numbers to ensure that the most recent route information is always used, preventing stale routes from being utilized.
3. AODV supports both unicast and multicast communications, making it versatile for various applications in Wireless Sensor Networks.
4. The protocol employs a request-reply mechanism where route requests (RREQ) are sent out to find paths, and route replies (RREP) are sent back with the established route information.
5. Due to its on-demand nature, AODV is particularly effective in environments where the network topology frequently changes, such as in sensor networks deployed for environmental monitoring.

Review Questions

• How does AODV's on-demand routing approach benefit Wireless Sensor Networks compared to proactive routing protocols?
  • AODV's on-demand routing approach conserves bandwidth and power, which are critical in Wireless Sensor Networks where nodes often operate on limited energy resources. Unlike proactive protocols that maintain constant routes regardless of traffic needs, AODV only creates routes when necessary. This means that sensor nodes can save energy by avoiding unnecessary communication overhead, allowing them to focus on collecting and transmitting data when required.
• Discuss the importance of sequence numbers in AODV and how they contribute to route accuracy.
  • Sequence numbers in AODV play a crucial role in ensuring that the most current route information is utilized. When nodes send out route requests (RREQ), they include their sequence number, which helps distinguish between outdated and fresh routes. This mechanism prevents the use of stale paths and allows nodes to effectively manage changes in the network topology, thus enhancing the reliability of communication in dynamic environments like Wireless Sensor Networks.
• Evaluate how AODV can impact the scalability of Wireless Sensor Networks and what challenges might arise as the network grows.
  • AODV can improve the scalability of Wireless Sensor Networks by reducing control message overhead through its on-demand routing strategy. However, as the number of nodes increases, challenges may arise such as increased route discovery time due to higher contention for channel access and possible routing loops if not managed properly. Moreover, congestion may occur in highly dense networks where numerous RREQs compete for limited bandwidth, potentially leading to delays and reduced network performance.

Related terms

MANET: A Mobile Ad Hoc Network is a self-configuring network of mobile devices connected wirelessly, allowing them to communicate without a fixed infrastructure.

Routing Protocol: A set of rules and procedures used by network devices to determine the best path for data transmission from source to destination.

Multicast Routing: A method of transmitting data to multiple recipients at once, as opposed to unicast, which sends data to a single recipient.