Towards a framework for the evaluation of efficient provisioning in opportunistic ad-hoc networks

In wireless ad-hoc networks where there is no continuous end-to-end path we move into the area of opportunistic networks. Forwarding messages via any encountered nodes, such as the mobile devices that many users already carry. Normally we are looking for the most efficient method of passing these messages across the network, but how do we evaluate the different methods. We propose to develop a framework that will allow us to evaluate how efficiently provisioning has been performed. This has been explored with the use of a case study and two benchmark protocols, Epidemic and PRoPHET. We present the results of this analysis and describe an approach to the validation of this through simulation.