Information Propagation Speed in Mobile and Delay Tolerant Networks

Recent research has highlighted the necessity of developing routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks where end-to-end multi-hop paths may not exist and communication routes may only be available through time and mobility. Depending on the context, these networks are commonly referred as Intermittently Connected Mobile Networks (ICNs) or Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networks (DTNs). Conversely, little is known about the inherent properties of such networks, and consequently, performance evaluations are often limited to comparative simulations (using mobility models or actual traces). The goal of this paper is to increase our understanding of possible performances of DTNs. After introducing our formal model, we use analytical tools to derive theoretical upper-bounds of the information propagation speed in wireless mobile networks. We also present some numerical simulations to illustrate the accuracy of the bounds in numerous scenarios.