An analysis of mobile radio ad hoc networks using clustered architectures

In this paper we present a novel approach for evaluating the routing efficiency of clustered architectures, as compared to flat ones in mobile scenarios. For multihop ad hoc networks there have been much research done on clustered architectures due to their advantages, such as the spatial reuse of resources, the easier update of hierarchical topology and the smaller overheads on routing procedures. However, the efficiency of using a clustered architecture depends on many factors such as the network size, how the clusters are formed, type of traffic, connection data rates, network connectivity and topology changes due to in particular node mobility. Our results show that the clustered architecture needs to be very carefully designed in order to be more efficient than a flat architecture for small to medium sized networks of up to 400 nodes. That is, a clusterhead needs to have good knowledge of the links in its cluster such a good route through the cluster can be selected.