Inter- and Intra-Domain Routing Interactions for MANETs

When making use of inter-domain routing in a MANET environment, certain interactions are required between the Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) and the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP, such as OLSR or AODV). Unlike the norm in conventional fixed networks, many MANET protocols assume that every node in a network is a router, and as such a different mechanism to traditional dual-IGP/EGP functionality within each router is required. Assuming that Inter-Domain Routing for MANETs (IDRM) provides the EGP; this paper describes the functionality required at gateways/routers to provide interaction with each other, and with the IGP in as transparent a way as possible, in order to minimise the need for knowledge of external routing topology. This paper discusses potential deployment architectures, use cases, and proposes potential mechanisms to support the required interaction between routers and protocols.