Formal Techniques for the Analysis of Wireless Networks

Wireless networks consist of small (possibly) portable devices which combine battery-operated computing power and wireless communications. There are a number of technical challenges associated with their operation. These are addressed in part by emerging protocols which attempt to make trade-offs between the various network phenomena in order to optimise overall performance relative to an intended application. Central to the protocol design process is the availability of rigorous tools and techniques for quantifying any putative performance advantage gained by a particular protocol, and the degree to which its use degrades overall network functionality. The tools performing this important task today are simulators but the results from them are often not realistic as they have not been validated against empirical data (D. Cavin et al.). In this paper we explore the benefits of a formal approach to the analysis of wireless networks; in particular we investigate how a careful mix of model checking and proof may be used both to validate design decisions, and to provide a full profile of quantitative performance-style behaviours. Moreover the counterexample facility of model checking can illustrate clearly the limitations of some standard protocols. We demonstrate the methods on flooding and communications protocols.