Context-based connectivity over multi-virtual Wireless Mesh Networks: Analytical study

Abstract

The flexibility and self-organization properties of Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs), and the benefits arising from the split of a physical network in several context-aware Virtual Networks (VNs), are a two-fold force to deal with the huge heterogeneity of user requirements and network resources in a future Internet architecture. In this scope, we provide a novel context-aware architecture for WMNs, which supports user requirements on demand by the deployment of several adaptable VNs for different context-aware purposes. In this paper, we present an analytical model for the proposed architecture. We aim to provide and define the limits of our multi-VN approach, in terms of the number of VNs, attached mesh clients, and virtual nodes per VN, in order to accomplish feasible delays for different data or control communication requirements. Moreover, we describe and evaluate, based on a probabilistic approach, the delays involved in user connectivity establishment, which includes several management processes for the discovery, extension and update of one fitting VN for a user. Through a delay-based approach, our analytical results show the effectiveness of our architecture to deal with different communication requirements, and with distinct scenarios for user connectivity establishment.