A novel dynamic source routing (DSR) protocol based on minimum execution time scheduling and moth flame optimization (MET-MFO)

In general, the conventional routing approaches in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) provide a route between the source and the target with a minimum hop count. Dynamic source routing (DSR) as a typical prototype of routing protocols relies on the minimum hop count parameter to provide the path without considering any other factors such as energy consumption and node energy level, which significantly affect the routing algorithm performance. To enhance the performance of the DSR, a novel and efficient routing mechanism based on a hybrid approach using the minimum execution time (MET) scheduling and moth flame optimization (MFO) scheme is proposed. This hybridization version of DSR is called the (MET-MFODSR) algorithm, and it aims to improve the routing mechanism through establishing an optimal route with minimum energy consumption, which increases the network lifetime and reduces route failure issues. The proposed MET-MFODSR protocol is implemented using the MATLAB platform, analyzed and evaluated in different simulation environments. The simulation results demonstrate that the suggested routing algorithm is applicative and practicable, and its performance exceeds the performance of the existing Bee DSR (BEEDSR) and Bee-inspired protocol (BeeIP) algorithms.