Rokeshia Robinson
3rd Position paper
Mesh Networking
Wikipedia states that Mesh networking is a way to route data, voice and instructions between nodes. It allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by “hopping” from node to node until the destination is reached. A mesh network whose nodes are all connected to each other is a fully connected networks. Mesh networks differ from other networks in that the component parts can all connect to each other via multiple hops, and they generally are not mobile.
Like every other topic that we have discussed in class, there are several advantages and disadvantages with mesh networking. Advantages of mesh networking can allow organizations to revolutionize the way they communicate, helping them to cut costs, boost employee productivity, improve community service, and increase public safety. Mesh networks allow organizations to extend the reach of their wired infrastructure to deliver affordable managed wireless broadband services. A managed service offering helps enable employees and customers to:
• Shift expense from capital outlay to operational expenses, making it easier to win budget approval
• Eliminate the need for new hires and incremental staff to deploy and operate equipment
• Minimize backhaul transport costs
• Pay as they grow, allowing organizations to scale services as needed
• Get service rapidly deployed
• Provide wireless roaming and access in facilities such as plazas, office buildings, libraries, community centers, etc.
On the most basic level, a mesh network is appealing to businesses and other organizations because it saves money on cabling. With a mesh network, a business only has to run a power cable, not a data cable, to most access points. The data is transmitted over the air from one access point to another until one finally ties into the hard-wired network. Using such a system, a network manager might only have to connect one of every five or 10 access points to the hard-wired network.
Instead of moving data from a device to a wireless access point to a wired network, a mesh network moves data from access point to access point, depending on availability and proximity, and then eventually onto a wired network. Mesh network traffic flows in much the same way that data travels across multiple points on the Internet before reaching a final destination. In its most complex form, a mesh network could work like a peer-to-peer network, where devices both send their own data and forward data on for other devices. In an environment like that, the more devices on a network, the better the network functions.
Mesh networking technology lets providers augment their wired backhaul infrastructure to provide wireless broadband services with very high security, reliability, and scalability. It relies on the mature 802.11 standard for wireless networking and thus is a highly stable technology, unlike other emerging transport methods that are unproven and do not utilize the ubiquitous installed base of 802.11 clients. Mesh networks also feature self-healing and dynamic route optimization capabilities, making them simple and cost-effective to deploy and manage.
In addition to advantages, there are several disadvantages to mesh networks. Mesh networks are a great concept. But the challenge lies in managing the dynamics of mesh networks so users receive an acceptable level of performance in terms of both latency and throughput. One disadvantage to mesh networking is that it requires a lot of access points, so deploying in a mesh architecture can be expensive, initial cost. The other issue is scalability. In a very large network there would be so much routing information moving from access point to access point, it would be unclear how much these networks can scale and maintain their bandwidth for users. Last, but no where near least, a mesh network is not pure 802.11, so it does not integrate well with WLAN.
In conclusion, there are several advantages and disadvantage that can be argued when supporting and implementing mesh networks in organizations. I believe that mesh networking works well in public organizations such as universities, parks, etc, but can be a real headache for some smaller public and private organizations. All in all, I can’t wait to hear what issues and concerns that are going to be addressed in class tonight.
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John Landowski
Topics 760
4/28/2007
Mesh Networking Follow-Up
In following up to the topic of last class I’d like to address the status of mesh networking and some points that may not have been clear. In addition, we should also consider that this technology is at a point of maturity that is now generating new avenues into everyday use through ongoing research and scientific discovery. Although the Mesh Topic was covered in a general sense during the class discussion, there are almost limitless related technological and theoretical subtopics to explore. In this time of discovery, the mesh landscape is transforming the way we communicate through the use of technology. In summary though, I’d like to focus this paper on differentiating community based mesh networks and corporate meshes as well as why this topic is ‘hot’ right now.
What is a mesh network? A wireless mesh network is a peer-to-peer multi-hop wireless network in which participant nodes cooperate with one another to route packets. Unlike Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) where every routing node is mobile, routing nodes in mesh networks are stationary. Together these "mesh nodes" form the network's backbone. Other non-routing mobile nodes "clients" connect to the mesh nodes and use the backbone to communicate with one another over large distances and with nodes on the Internet. The distinction here between the “clients” and the mesh nodes is important in terms of the relationship to the mesh backbone. The backbone may serve many functions in terms of community and business related data transmissions depending on the nature and funding of the network. However, over time, advances in technology may blur this distinction as newer multi-radio and smart routing technologies lower the impact of mobile user latency and provide a more reliable mobile mesh.
The reasoning behind the recent explosion of wireless networking technologies and the emergence of mesh networks are because of the following developments:
· Price: 802.11 radios and related technologies are cheap
· Simplicity: Wireless networking is easy to setup and use at home or at work.
· Decentralization: Not only is the network void of a centralized hardware framework, it is also void of a central owner.
· Growth: The larger the number of network nodes, the greater the reliability and coverage of the network.
· Green Networking: low power requirements, meaning that they can be deployed as completely autonomous units with solar, wind, or hydropower. (Attractive to developing countries)
· Topology: the fact that the arbitrary topology of mesh networks fits coincides with natural evolution of communication networks.
Mesh networks extend high-speed local area networking services to the wide area. Mesh networks are an attractive low-cost technology option for robust broadband communication for:
(1) City-wide Broadband Internet Coverage.
(2) Neighborhood Community Networks.
(3) All-Wireless Offices
(4) Rural Networks.
The requirements of a mobile mesh network may include a variety of factors in order to deliver a QoS that is consistent with the needs of the end user. For instance, a mobile technology such as VOIP is heavily impacted by latency. With mesh network issues involving multiple hops, it may be impossible to achieve a QoS in VOIP as in a traditional POTs network, therefore the adoption and use of that technology may be limited. In this case, the adoption of the technology is dependant on the current development of newer multi-radio systems and transmission protocols that enable faster and logical transfers of data.
The impact of a “mobile” network on everyday life, as well as business communications, will have a profound effect in the evolution of digital communications moving forward. As the development of mesh technologies improve, so will the utilization of purely mobile users in terms of those in a roaming environment. Future “hybrid” technologies that take advantage of both static and ad-hoc networks will eventually offer real-world solutions to a current disconnected mesh infrastructure. As the number of public mesh network initiatives increases in the coming years, the gap between the digital divide will almost surely narrow and connectivity choices increase and become more available.
In conclusion, the Topic of Mesh Networking is in its defining moments as the technology itself evolves to adapt the needs of the variety of end uses. Currently, the technology has many advantages and disadvantages for use in both the public and private sectors. However, looking at the research and development being done in many facets of hardware and software related to mesh networking, it is only a matter of time that the appropriate mix will be achieved to satisfy both markets.
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