Security and QoS self-optimization in mobile ad hoc networks

Network quality of service (QoS) and network security have been considered as separate entities and research in these areas have largely proceeded independently. However, security impacts overall QoS and it is therefore essential to consider both security and QoS together when designing protocols for ad hoc environments as one impacts the other. In this paper, we propose a mechanism for a distributed dynamic management system which aims to maximize QoS and/or security while maintaining a minimum user acceptable level of QoS and/or security even as network resource availability changes. In order to achieve this objective, we propose three basic frameworks: a policy-based plug-in security framework, multilayer QoS guided routing, and a proportional, integral, derivative (PID) controller. Simulation results indicate the proposed PID optimized security and the QoS algorithm produces similar performance to nonsecure QoS routing protocols under various traffic loads.