Delay Tolerant Networking for Sensor Networks

Abstract

Sensor network deployments may be far removed from com-munications infrastructure such as
the Internet. Yet, to be maximally useful, these networks of sensors must ultimately e
connected to data storage and analysis facilities. Providing connectivity for such networks may
involve exotic and usual methods of data transfer. In addition, within such networks, problems
of intermittent connectivity due to power scheduling, node failure, and packet losses fromunpredictable external factors are frequently encountered. As a solution the first problem, we
propose the use of the Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) architecture, which provides reliable
data communication across heterogeneous, failure-prone networks. For the second problem, we
show elements of the DTN architecture can be employed within a sensor network to mitigate
communication interruptions. We suggest an overall architecture, employing the full DTN
architecture for access to sensor networks, combined with a subset implementation of its design
for use within sensor networks, as a reasonable basis for complete delay-tolerant sensor
network architecture.