Thoughts on Ad Hoc Networking Requirements

Gregory Alan Bolcer (gbolcer@endTECH.com)
Thu, 06 May 1999 15:17:37 -0700


There are many examples of social networking in the
real world that are difficult to implement gracefully
using the Internet networking, routing, and naming.
These are just some thoughts on Ad Hoc networking.

Ad hoc networks should mimic and mirror
social networks.

o The Bueller effect
Roll call and route description/forwarding; social network
status and knowledge dump through multiple sources.
Teacher: Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
Student: He's sick.(pause)
My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard
from this guy who knows this kid who's going
with a girl who saw Ferris pass-out at 31 Flavors last night.
I guess it's pretty serious.
Teacher: Thank you, Simone.
Student: (cheery) No problem whatsoever.

o Introductions & Name Game
Hello. What do you do?
Do you know, so and so?
What is a friend of a friend service that's available?
Do you know any good doctors, lawyers, auto mechanics,
Can your brother in law get me a cheap PC?

o Lost in Space
Does anyone know how to get the heck out of here?
Out and Here can mean outside local ad hoc network to outside information
source on the Internet

o Ego-surfing
Who knows about me, is that too many and should I pull
the plug? How famous am I?

Other possible requirements:

o Scales from camera-printer to Angels stadium
Physically co-located under 1M
Up to 50,000 people

o Routing
Wormhole, hypercube routing, end-to-end messages plus
panic button, alternate route, receipt confirmation
Dynamic addressing based on how many known participants
message confirmation through shared backchannel

o Naming
All naming is relative not absolute
All naming is self-centered(?)

o Security
Paranoid
Only visible as you are