A queuing-theoretic framework for delay optimization in multipath routing for MANETs
TL;DR
This research bridges the gap between theoretical queuing models and practical routing strategies, contributing to the development of more efficient routing protocols for MANETs and demonstrates significant improvements in delay, throughput, routing overhead and node lifetime under realistic traffic conditions.
Abstract
In this work, we present a model for multipath routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) that considers both bounded and unbounded buffer sizes at each Mobile Node (MN). Traditional multipath routing approaches primarily focus on traffic distribution and path optimization but often overlook the impact of queuing dynamics in practical network scenarios. Existing methods typically assume either infinite buffer capacity or use simplistic delay models that fail to capture the queuing effects caused by buffer constraints at intermediate nodes. As a result, they may not accurately estimate end-to-end latency, leading to suboptimal routing decisions. To address this gap, we analyze the delay characteristics of multipath routing using M/M/1/R, M/M/m, and M/M/m/R queuing networks, which allow for a more precise evaluation of network performance under varying buffer sizes and service capacities. Unlike previous studies, which predominantly rely on simplified queuing assumptions, our model explicitly incorporates both finite and infinite buffer constraints at each MN to assess their impact on delay. The analysis is based on Burke’s Theorem for traffic distribution and Little’s Theorem for latency estimation, enabling optimal path selection based on real-time queuing behavior. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of our approach, demonstrating significant improvements in selecting the best path based on realistic queuing effects. The model is also benchmarked against AOMDV and demonstrates significant improvements in delay, throughput, routing overhead and node lifetime under realistic traffic conditions. This research bridges the gap between theoretical queuing models and practical routing strategies, contributing to the development of more efficient routing protocols for MANETs.