A Strategy for Data Replication in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

This paper addresses the problem of data replication in MANETs (Mobile Ad hoc Network) presenting a new solution that improves the performance of data access in such networks. To make the data available to the user at any place and any time, several issues related to the dynamics of MANETs need to be considered, particularly the node´s mobility and limited computing resources. The development of methods for data replication in this context represents, therefore, a major challenge, because a series of application-dependent requirements must be handled in a transparent and adaptive manner. One way to tackle this is through an application-level message forwarding mechanism using Virtual Magnetic Fields. In systems where fault tolerance is implemented through data replication, we show that the use of virtual magnetic fields provides an adequate paradigm in the context of dynamic factors that would influence the decision of which network nodes will keep replicas of data.