On the statistical behaviors of network-level features within MANETs

Event-based simulation has become a primary means of pursuing mobile ad hoc network (MANET) research. The stochastic nature of MANETs has been well studied with respect to mobility models, but less work has looked at the statistical behaviors of network layer features, (e.g., PDR, delay, hops and routing overhead). Fundamentally, issues such as “When do start up transients end?” and “Do all Monte- Carlo runs indeed arrive at the same steady-state distributions?” have not been well explored. This work explores these issues through using the DYMO routing protocol and the OMNeT++ simulation framework as exemplars. By applying distribution free Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit tests it is shown that, for network-layer features: a) MANET start-up transients can persist far longer than previously reported, b) transient durations can vary significantly from feature to feature and with varying node velocities, and c) Monte-Carlo runs of a given MANET scenario can produce distinct behavioral modes. It is then discussed whether these issues are likely inherent to MANETs and their routing protocols or an artifact of OMNeT++.