N102-188 TITLE: Network Manager Capability Enhancement

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: JPEO JTRS ACAT I

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative techniques for network planning, management automation, and simulation that will aid the network planner in development and optimization of the overall mobile network configuration. Techniques developed should automate the input of network management parameters and automatically adapt/change them to optimize network performance as the Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) changes due to environmental, interference, and battle effect factors.

DESCRIPTION: The advancement in wireless communication technology has led to the design and development of mobile networks. However automated and optimal mobile ad-hoc network planning and maintenance including frequency management, IP planning, configuration parameter setting, and updates based on current topology and environment, presents significant challenges. The purpose of this SBIR is to develop advanced concepts and tools for network automation and simulation that will eventually aide the network planner in developing the overall mobile network configuration, ground and airborne, and continually optimize it.. The network automation and simulator will be configured to run, in the background, on a continual basis so that as the network continues to automatically optimize based on changing topology and conditions.

Phase I: Perform research, and development of innovative techniques for implementing network configuration automation, simulation, and optimization of network management for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks.. Techniques should enhance automated intitial entry and then allow automated, optimum reconfiguration of network management parameters as the topology of the MANET changes in the battlefield. The objective is to dynamically improve the MANET performance through changes to network management configuration parameters as topology and link state changes are encountered due to interference, propagation effects, node mobility, spectrum availability, and changes or loss of nodes due to battle effects. The techniques should enhance configuration of the network including IP addressing, dynamic frequency assignments, and subnet control. The techniques should optimize the network configuration and ensure a high level of Quality of Service (QoS) for the many scenarios, environments, and deployments to be optimized while taking advantage of communications, networking, propagation, and other modeling and simulation tools running in the background on the Network Manager . Determine and use methods of modeling and simulation which will demonstrate the proposed enhancements.

Phase II: Develop, test and demonstrate the network configuration automation and simulator tool. The techniques developed in Phase I should be developed to the point that its concepts can be tested and demonstrated in a relevant modeling and simulation environment. The techniques developed should be demonstrated in a realistic M&S environment to show improvement to the QoS of WNW.

Phase III: Integrate the tested capability into the JWNM and/or JTRS Enterprise Network Manager (JENM), depending on the time this SBIR reaches Phase III. This effort will include integration, test and documentation of the capability. Demonstrate the improvements to WNW network QoS using the new techniques on JTRS Hardware. Apply the concepts to emerging commercial mobile and mobile ad hoc network planning and optimization.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Wireless network technology is not only limited to the military/JTRS. Commercial wireless network providers are constantly looking to optimize the use of their resources and spectrum. Using a network configuration automation and simulator tool similar to that describe in this SBIR would greatly benefit them as well.

REFERENCES:
1. T. Ye, D. Harrison, B. Mo, S. Kalyanaraman, B. Szymanski, K. Vastola, B. Skidar, and H. Kaur, "Traffic management and network control using collaborative on-line simulations," in International Conference on Communication, ICC2001, Helsinki, Finland, June 2001.

2. X. Zeng, R. Bagrodia, and M. Gerla, "Glomosim: a library for parallel simulation of large-scale wireless networks," in 12th Workshop on Parallel and Distributed Simulations, Banff, Alberta, Canda, May 1998.

3. L. A. Law and M.G. McComas, "Simulation of software for communication networks: the state of the art," IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 32, pp. 44-50, 1994.

4. NED/JWNM overview located on the JPEO JTRS website, http://jpeojtrs.mil/files/domains/09_NED_AFCEA_Brief_V6.pdf.

KEYWORDS: Network Management, Network Simulator, Network Performance, Network Parameter Tuning, MANET, Wireless Networks, Airborne Network Management, Optimal Deployment, Mission Planning

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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