Using BGP in a Satellite-Based Challenged Network Environment

Once, satellites were considered an important option for creating global Internet access. However, for a period of time, satellites were supplanted by other ground-based technologies. More recently, satellites have been proposed as an integral component in highly dynamic challenged environments where large numbers of mobile devices connect through satellite-based terminals. Routing within groups of mobile devices is performed by one of the myriad of wireless routing protocols, but over the space/ground link, BGP is the protocol of choice. In this work, we conduct a high fidelity experimental study of link intermittency on the space/ground link and its effect on BGP peering sessions between ground and satellite routers. Our results show that a routing architecture that does not correctly adapt to the particular characteristics of satellite links performs very poorly. By contrast, a correctly tuned routing architecture can survive prolonged outages intermixed with short periods of link c...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: SECON
• Authors: Roman Chertov, Kevin C. Almeroth
• Keywords: Communications, Mobile Devices, Routing, Satellite, SECON 2010