ICDRP-F-SDVN: An innovative cluster-based dual-phase routing protocol using fog computing and software-defined vehicular network

Abstract

Over time, wireless technology is evolving impulsively. For the most part, studies presently focused on the telecommunication field. Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) is one of the leading genuine and appealing areas for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) originators and organizations. Essentially, VANET is an ad-hoc network consisting of several vehicles that flow on the same road. The existence of such networks revolutionizes the wireless communication field. The immense increase in the number of smart vehicles throughout time is the reason behind the massive evolution in VANET technologies. VANETs requirements are evolving quickly, therefore, having more flexible, scalable, and well-connected routes in VANETs is becoming essential in any new routing protocol. Antiquated VANETs routing protocols and designs encounter very challenging technical, employment, and control problems with the evolution of VANETs requirements. This paper presents a new efficient routing protocol for VANETs, namely, Innovative Cluster-Based Dual-Phase Routing Protocol Using Fog Computing and Software-Defined Vehicular Network (ICDRP-F-SDVN) which utilizes state-of-the-art technologies to overcome the drawbacks of traditional VANETs routing protocols. The use of fog computing and Software-Defined Networks (SDN) combined in our protocol presents a robust new architecture that meets all the new requirements and overcomes challenges arising from technological development and rapid escalation in the number of smart vehicles. Additionally, we propose a novel clustering algorithm mainly for the reason of lessening the long-distance communications in each cluster. In conjunction with this clustering algorithm, we propose an efficient control overhead reduction mechanism, thereby lowering the messages' exchanges imposed. Interestingly, our proposed protocol is a dual-phase protocol with a 90% of SDN packet delivery ratio. In other words, when the SDN fails to deliver packets, traditional Ad-hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) handles them as a fallback mechanism. In this paper, the performance of ICDRP-F-SDVN is evaluated in terms of throughput and end-to-end delay and further compared with four closely related routing protocols, that are, Intersection Dynamic VANET Routing (IDVR), Vehicle Density and Load Aware (VDLA), Intelligent Routing Protocol Using Real-Time Traffic Information in Urban Vehicular Environment (IRTIV), and Greedy Perimeter Coordinator Routing (GPCR). In terms of control overhead, the comparison is conducted with Control Overhead Reduction Algorithm (CORA), Moving Zone-Based Routing Protocol (MoZo), Beaconless Routing Algorithm for Vehicular Environment (BRAVE), and Cluster-Based Directional Routing Protocol (CBDRP). Our proposed protocol has achieved impressive simulation results compared to previously mentioned protocols. In particular, the throughput is increased by 8277%, 64309%, 76235%, and 96053% while the end-to-end delay is reduced by 77.5%, 82.5%, 87.2%, 95.6% over IDVR, VDLA, IRTIV, and GPCR, respectively. Finally, the control overhead is lowered by 42.3%, 87%, 93.5%, 96.7% over that of CORA, MoZo, BRAVE, and CBDRP, respectively.