Interdomain Routing for Mobile Nodes

In this paper, we investigate the issues related to the use of a BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) backbone to provide connectivity between mobile nodes, with a specific focus on nodes within an airborne network domain. Research efforts have developed multiple MANET (Mobile Ad hoc Network) protocols to provide routing for mobile nodes. In an airborne network environment, however, there may not be a dense enough concentration of nodes within radio range to provide the connectivity needed for effective use of a MANET protocol. In addition, aircraft within radio range of other nodes will experience intermittent and varying quality radio signals due to banking, interference, or Doppler effects. BGP is the de facto standard in use today to provide terrestrial internetworking routing among Autonomous Systems (AS) despite well known problems. BGP configuration can be complex and has convergence issues but the BGP capability to handle large numbers of routes makes it invaluable. In addition to its use in terrestrial internetworking, BGP has been identified as the routing protocol for the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) Network. Given the BGP networks in a satellite network above and a terrestrial network below an airborne network, it is important to understand the issues of connecting via BGP for airborne nodes. This paper summarizes the results of lab experiments evaluating use of a BGP network for an alternate routing path between aircraft when there is no other connectivity within their airborne routing domain. Routing protocol overhead and convergence times are presented here along with an analysis of airborne nodes use of interdomain routing for connectivity.