Innovative Approaches to Resource Virtualization over Ad-Hoc Wireless Networks

Resource virtualization concepts are in heavy commercial use for optimizing the performance of distributed applications. Resource virtualization allows resources to be allocated and adapted on-the-fly, and enables a wide range of distributed computing, networking, and sensing applications. However, resource virtualization has traditionally been developed for fixed, stable networks, and cannot adequately function over mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs). MANETs are highly variable, highly dynamic, unstable, and lacking in infrastructure, and pose additional challenges for resource virtualization. The Navy requires novel techniques for extending the benefits of resource virtualization to the challenges of MANETs. Infoscitex proposes opportunistic resource utilization networks (Oppnets). Oppnets are MANETs consisting of a seed network that temporarily recruits resources such as sensors, computers, lightweight clients, and networks. The Oppnets coordinate the capabilities and resources of diverse networks, sensors, and computational resources in a way that optimizes resource utilization across multiple hops.