Multicast service discovery profiles for deployment within dynamic edge networks

Deploying survivable group-oriented applications and enterprise services across network infrastructures incorporating the use of mobile ad hoc edge networks is of interest in military communication scenarios. This requires a more flexible approach to service discovery than conventional solutions typically provide. In this paper, we discuss our service discovery design extensions leveraging improved multicast capabilities in multi-hop, wireless networks. The design also supports multiple discovery profiles, through the use of flexible timing parameters, caching and operating modes. We also provide an overview of our working software prototype and methodology used in examining scenario-based system performance. Our experiments investigate various service provider and consumer distributions across a set of mobile ad-hoc network scenarios. Our experimental scenarios involve node mobility and varying degrees of temporal connectivity. We illustrate the differences in success rates, time delays and network overhead of several discovery profiles. Results indicate that a one-size-fits all profile is not practical and that a flexible means of deploying specific discovery profiles for different applications is needed to optimize performance.