Describe the LOADng routing

Describe the LOADng routing

Answer:-

LOADng Routing

• (a): Flooding mechanism during route discovery.
• (b): Route discovery and reply process.
• (c): Route establishment for data transmission.

LOADng (Lightweight On-demand Ad hoc Distance Vector Routing Protocol – Next Generation) is a reactive routing protocol designed for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) and other resource-constrained environments. It is inspired by the AODV (Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector) protocol, but optimized for lightweight and efficient routing.

Key Features of LOADng

1. Reactive Nature:
   • Routes are established on-demand, only when data is to be transmitted.
   • This reduces unnecessary control traffic, making it suitable for resource-constrained networks.
2. Flooding-based Route Discovery:
   • A source router initiates route discovery by broadcasting a Route Request (RREQ) packet to its neighbors.
   • Each neighbor forwards the RREQ to its one-hop neighbors, continuing this process until the destination is reached.
3. Route Reply (RREP):
   • Upon receiving the RREQ, the destination sends a Route Reply (RREP) packet back to the source along the reverse path established during the RREQ process.
4. Route Error (RERR):
   • If a link along an active route fails, a Route Error (RERR) message is sent to notify the source router about the broken route.

Summary of Tasks Performed by LOADng

1. Bi-directional route discovery between source and destination.
2. Route establishment and maintenance only when necessary.
3. Generation of signaling traffic only for data transfer or route failure.

Advantages of LOADng

• Efficiency: Generates control traffic only when needed, reducing network overhead.
• Scalability: Operates well in networks with limited resources, such as IoT and MANETs.
• Dynamic Routing: Adapts to topology changes effectively using on-demand route discovery.

Operational Principles

1. Route Discovery:
   • When a router receives a data packet for an unknown destination, it initiates an RREQ broadcast.
   • Intermediate routers record reverse route entries and forward the RREQ until it reaches the destination.
2. Route Establishment:
   • The destination generates an RREP, which is sent back to the source along the reverse route established during the RREQ broadcast.
   • Each router on the path updates its routing table with forward route entries based on the RREP.
3. Route Maintenance:
   • Active routes are maintained as long as data is being transmitted.
   • If a route breaks, RERR messages are sent to the source, prompting a new route discovery if needed.