The Quest for Optimum Server Location Selection in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks Utilising Threshold Cryptography

Truly ad hoc networks where no prior knowledge of participants to each other creates difficulties in providing encryption key management services to the network members. If the network uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) then a Certificate Authority (CA) must be available at all times. Using threshold cryptography for the CA requires several members to act as servers and collaborate to provide these Key Management services. This paper examines various server location choices available to protocol designers and using simulation demonstrates that the choice of server locations can have a significant effect on the efficiency of key management within the protocol.