Self-Initiated and Self-Maintained Overlay Networks (Simons) for Enhancing Military Network Capabilities

Abstract

Future military networks such as FCS and WIN-T will exploit commercial protocols, such as dynamic IP routing (e.g., OSPF1 PIM and BGP) and DiffServ for QoS. This raises the question of how to provide additional network features needed for many military applications. For example, how can military networks add functions such as multipath routing, efficient network processing, and late binding IPSec tunnels that are vital to providing enhanced robustness, efficiency, security and QoS? In many cases the best approach to provide these enhanced features is to use overlay networks. Examples include application-layer multicasting, Web distribution networks, resilient overlay networks, IPv6 over IPv4 tunnels, and HAIPE. One significant challenge with all these overlay networks is the configuration overhead and resultant management complexity. To address this issue, this paper proposes the use of a new tool that creates self-initiated and self-maintained overlay network (SIMON). Using plug-and-play modules, the tool supports not only a particular need or mission, but supports a wide set of enhanced capabilities. SIMONs are independent of IP addressing and offer the enhanced features without any network intervention. We have designed three main protocols to support the desired capabilities for SIMONs: (a) a dynamic overlay network configuration protocol (DONCP), (b) an overlay network routing protocol (ONRP) and (c) an overlay network multipath routing protocol (ONMRP). In this paper we describe the main features and basic operations of the SIMONs and outline the design and functionalities of DONCP