To simulate the data-centric protocols using NS3 that contains concentrating on the protocols in which data (instead of device addresses or specific node identities) is the key module of communication. This data-centric protocols are generally used in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), Internet of Things (IoT), and other distributed systems in which data aggregation, dissemination, and query-based communication are significant. Instances contain protocols such as Directed Diffusion, SPIN (Sensor Protocols for Information via Negotiation), and Data-Centric Storage protocols. The simulation environment NS3 does not natively support data-centric protocols, however we can be replicated such protocols by tailoring existing tools and developing extensions.
Key Concepts of Data-Centric Protocols:
- Data Naming: Communication is according to the data, not the node IDs.
- Interest-Based Queries: Data requests are propagated via the network to discover related data.
- Aggregation: Redundant data is aggregated to reduce communication overhead.
- Energy Efficiency: Efficient use of resources (e.g., energy, bandwidth) is vital within sensor networks.
Example: Simulating Directed Diffusion Protocol (a Data-Centric Protocol) in NS3
To replicate a data-centric protocol such as Directed Diffusion in NS3, we can make a simple simulation which concentrates on data aggregation, interest propagation, and data forwarding. Below, we replicate a basic Directed Diffusion method using custom NS3 applications to simulate the behaviour of interest propagation and data matching.
Steps to Simulate a Data-Centric Protocol (Directed Diffusion) in NS3
- Install NS3
Make sure that NS3 is installed on the system. Unless, download and install it from the NS3 official website.
- Create a Custom Data-Centric Simulation
We will replicate the simple operations of Directed Diffusion in which:
- A sink node transmits interest queries into the network.
- Source nodes with related data respond to the query.
- Intermediate nodes are forward and aggregate the data.
Example Simulation Using a Simplified Data-Centric Protocol in NS3
- Include Necessary Headers
These headers are needed for configuring the wireless communication, mobility, and custom applications to replicate the data-centric protocol.
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”
#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include “ns3/netanim-module.h”
- Create and Install Nodes
Make a set of nodes are signifying the sink, source, and intermediate nodes in the data-centric network.
NodeContainer nodes;
nodes.Create(6); // Create 6 nodes for the data-centric network
- Configure Wireless Communication (Wi-Fi)
We can use the WifiHelper and YansWifiChannelHelper to set up wireless communication among the nodes.
YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211g); // Set the Wi-Fi standard to 802.11g
wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);
WifiMacHelper wifiMac;
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”); // Set the MAC layer to Ad-hoc mode
NetDeviceContainer devices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, nodes);
- Install the Internet Stack
We can install the Internet stack (TCP/IP) on the nodes to enable communication among them.
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.Install(nodes);
- Assign IP Addresses
Allocate an IP addresses to the wireless devices (nodes).
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign(devices);
- Set Up Mobility Model for Nodes
We can use the MobilityHelper to describe the mobility model for the nodes in the network.
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetPositionAllocator(“ns3::GridPositionAllocator”,
“MinX”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“MinY”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“DeltaX”, DoubleValue(100.0),
“DeltaY”, DoubleValue(100.0),
“GridWidth”, UintegerValue(3),
“LayoutType”, StringValue(“RowFirst”));
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(nodes);
- Create Custom Applications for Data-Centric Communication
We require to describe the custom applications, which replicate an interest propagation (query) from a sink node and data forwarding from source nodes. For simplicity, we can be made custom UDP applications for querying and responding.
- Sink Node Application (Interest Propagation):
The sink node occasionally broadcasts interest packets (queries) to the network.
class SinkApplication : public Application
{
public:
SinkApplication() {}
virtual ~SinkApplication() {}
void Setup(Ptr<Socket> socket, Address address, uint32_t packetSize, uint32_t nPackets, Time interPacketInterval)
{
m_socket = socket;
m_peer = address;
m_packetSize = packetSize;
m_nPackets = nPackets;
m_interval = interPacketInterval;
m_packetsSent = 0;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication(void)
{
m_socket->Bind();
SendPacket();
}
void SendPacket()
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = Create<Packet>(m_packetSize);
m_socket->SendTo(packet, 0, m_peer);
++m_packetsSent;
if (m_packetsSent < m_nPackets)
{
Simulator::Schedule(m_interval, &SinkApplication::SendPacket, this);
}
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peer;
uint32_t m_packetSize;
uint32_t m_nPackets;
Time m_interval;
uint32_t m_packetsSent;
};
// Create a sink node that broadcasts interest messages
Ptr<Socket> sinkSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(nodes.Get(0), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
Address sinkBroadcast = InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address(“10.1.1.255”), 8080); // Broadcast address for interest propagation
Ptr<SinkApplication> sinkApp = CreateObject<SinkApplication>();
sinkApp->Setup(sinkSocket, sinkBroadcast, 1024, 100, Seconds(1.0)); // Send interest every second
nodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(sinkApp);
sinkApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
sinkApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(10.0));
- Source Node Application (Data Response):
Source nodes are listen for interest messages and react with related data if they match the query.
class SourceApplication : public Application
{
public:
SourceApplication() {}
virtual ~SourceApplication() {}
void Setup(Ptr<Socket> socket, Address address)
{
m_socket = socket;
m_peer = address;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication(void)
{
m_socket->Bind();
m_socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&SourceApplication::HandleRead, this));
}
void HandleRead(Ptr<Socket> socket)
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();
// Process interest query and send response
Ptr<Packet> response = Create<Packet>(1024); // Send data if query matches
socket->SendTo(response, 0, m_peer);
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peer;
};
// Create source nodes that respond to interest queries
Ptr<Socket> sourceSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(nodes.Get(5), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
Address sinkAddress = InetSocketAddress(interfaces.GetAddress(0), 8080); // Send data back to the sink
Ptr<SourceApplication> sourceApp = CreateObject<SourceApplication>();
sourceApp->Setup(sourceSocket, sinkAddress);
nodes.Get(5)->AddApplication(sourceApp);
sourceApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(2.0));
sourceApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(10.0));
- Enable Tracing and Animation
Allow PCAP tracing and NetAnim to monitor the packet exchanges and envision the network.
wifiPhy.EnablePcapAll(“data_centric_simulation”);
AnimationInterface anim(“data_centric_simulation.xml”);
- Run the Simulation
Set the simulation stop time and run the simulation.
Simulator::Stop(Seconds(20.0));
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
- Full Example Script for Data-Centric Simulation
The followings is a comprehensive script for replicating a basic data-centric protocol using Directed Diffusion concepts in NS3.
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”
#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include “ns3/netanim-module.h”
using namespace ns3;
class SinkApplication : public Application
{
public:
SinkApplication() {}
virtual ~SinkApplication() {}
void Setup(Ptr<Socket> socket, Address address, uint32_t packetSize, uint32_t nPackets, Time interPacketInterval)
{
m_socket = socket;
m_peer = address;
m_packetSize = packetSize;
m_nPackets = nPackets;
m_interval = interPacketInterval;
m_packetsSent = 0;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication(void)
{
m_socket->Bind();
SendPacket();
}
void SendPacket()
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = Create<Packet>(m_packetSize);
m_socket->SendTo(packet, 0, m_peer);
++m_packetsSent;
if (m_packetsSent < m_nPackets)
{
Simulator::Schedule(m_interval, &SinkApplication::SendPacket, this);
}
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peer;
uint32_t m_packetSize;
uint32_t m_nPackets;
Time m_interval;
uint32_t m_packetsSent;
};
class SourceApplication : public Application
{
public:
SourceApplication() {}
virtual ~SourceApplication() {}
void Setup(Ptr<Socket> socket, Address address)
{
m_socket = socket;
m_peer = address;
}
private:
virtual void StartApplication(void)
{
m_socket->Bind();
m_socket->SetRecvCallback(MakeCallback(&SourceApplication::HandleRead, this));
}
void HandleRead(Ptr<Socket> socket)
{
Ptr<Packet> packet = socket->Recv();
// Process interest query and send response
Ptr<Packet> response = Create<Packet>(1024); // Send data if query matches
socket->SendTo(response, 0, m_peer);
}
Ptr<Socket> m_socket;
Address m_peer;
};
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
NodeContainer nodes;
nodes.Create(6); // Create 6 nodes
YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetStandard(WIFI_PHY_STANDARD_80211g);
wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);
WifiMacHelper wifiMac;
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::AdhocWifiMac”);
NetDeviceContainer devices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, nodes);
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.Install(nodes);
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign(devices);
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetPositionAllocator(“ns3::GridPositionAllocator”,
“MinX”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“MinY”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“DeltaX”, DoubleValue(100.0),
“DeltaY”, DoubleValue(100.0),
“GridWidth”, UintegerValue(3),
“LayoutType”, StringValue(“RowFirst”));
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(nodes);
Ptr<Socket> sinkSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(nodes.Get(0), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
Address sinkBroadcast = InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address(“10.1.1.255”), 8080);
Ptr<SinkApplication> sinkApp = CreateObject<SinkApplication>();
sinkApp->Setup(sinkSocket, sinkBroadcast, 1024, 100, Seconds(1.0));
nodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(sinkApp);
sinkApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(1.0));
sinkApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(10.0));
Ptr<Socket> sourceSocket = Socket::CreateSocket(nodes.Get(5), UdpSocketFactory::GetTypeId());
Address sinkAddress = InetSocketAddress(interfaces.GetAddress(0), 8080);
Ptr<SourceApplication> sourceApp = CreateObject<SourceApplication>();
sourceApp->Setup(sourceSocket, sinkAddress);
nodes.Get(5)->AddApplication(sourceApp);
sourceApp->SetStartTime(Seconds(2.0));
sourceApp->SetStopTime(Seconds(10.0));
wifiPhy.EnablePcapAll(“data_centric_simulation”);
AnimationInterface anim(“data_centric_simulation.xml”);
Simulator::Stop(Seconds(20.0));
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
return 0;
}
- Running the Simulation
- Build and run the script using NS3’s waf build system:
./waf build
./waf –run data_centric_simulation
- Analyzing Results
- PCAP Traces: The .pcap files are generated in the course of the simulation can be investigated using tools such as Wireshark to monitor the interest propagation and data transmission.
- NetAnim: We can envision the node interactions in NetAnim using the .xml file generated during the simulation.
- Extending the Simulation
We can expand this simple data-centric protocol simulation by:
- Inserting the aggregation at intermediate nodes to replicate data aggregation.
- Mimicking a sensor network with several sources and sinks.
- Executing energy-efficient communication in which nodes are decide to send data according to the obtainable energy.
We systematically carried out a detailed process on data centric protocol, with simulation and examine done through the simulation tool NS3. Additional informations regarding this topic will be shared, if required.
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