A formal validation methodology for MANET routing protocols based on nodes’ self similarity

Conformance testing for ad hoc routing protocols is crucial to the reliability of Wireless Mobile Ad Hoc Networks. Most of the works related to the validation of such protocols are based on simulation and emulation analysis of simulated/emulated implementations without taking into account formal specifications. However, for many reasons, it has often been shown that the results obtained from simulator studies are far from the real case studies. In this paper, we propose a new conformance testing methodology dedicated to the validation of MANET routing protocols, especially Dynamic Source Routing. After generating test sequences from the formal model, the main issue is to execute them. There exist many techniques in wired systems, but several MANET inherent constraints lead to cope with the diverse mobility patterns and the topological changes. Therefore, a nodes’ self similarity approach is introduced as well a specific testing architecture dealing with unexpected and unpredictable topology and messages. Interesting results have been provided as illustrated through experiments.