Can NDN Perform Better than OLSR in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks?

TL;DR

This study evaluates Named Data Networking's performance in wireless ad hoc networks through simulations, comparing it with TCP/OLSR, and explores caching strategies to improve data retrieval efficiency.

Contribution

It provides the first simulation-based comparison of NDN and OLSR in tactical wireless ad hoc environments, highlighting caching benefits and probabilistic LRU strategies.

Findings

Caches improve file retrieval even during producer absence

Probabilistic LRU enhances cache diversity and utilization

NDN shows advantages over OLSR in certain scenarios

Abstract

The emerging paradigm of Information-Centric Networking is an exciting field of research, opening opportunities in many areas, such as forwarding strategies, caching placement policies, applications (e.g. video streaming and instant messaging), to name a few. In this paper, we address the mobility aspect of ICN, as well as how it performs in tactical wireless ad hoc environments. In this paper, we present results from a simulation study that investigates the performance of Named Data Networking, an instantiation of ICN, in such environments. We perform a series of simulations based on ndnSIM studying different mobility scenarios. Our simulations show that even in the short-term absence of the producer, consumers can still achieve better file retrieval when caches are used. As an effort to increase the cache diversity and have a better utilization of the Content Store we study probabilistic LRU. Furthermore, we compare the performance of our NDN network with a TCP based approach, using OLSR routing protocol, discussing advantages and disadvantages of each approach.