Trustworthy Systems

Automated analysis of AODV using UPPAAL

Authors

Ansgar Fehnker, Rob van Glabbeek, Peter Hoefner, Annabelle McIver, Marius Portmann and Wee Lum Tan

NICTA

UNSW

Macquarie University

University of Queensland

Abstract

This paper describes an automated, formal and rigorous analysis of the Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol, a popular protocol used in wireless mesh networks.

We give a brief overview of a model of AODV implemented in the UPPAAL model checker. It is derived from a process-algebraic model which reflects precisely the intention of AODV and accurately captures the protocol specification. Furthermore, we describe experiments carried out to explore AODV's behaviour in all network topologies up to 5 nodes. We were able to automatically locate problematic and undesirable behaviours. This is in particular useful to discover protocol limitations and to develop improved variants. This use of model checking as a diagnostic tool complements other formal-methods-based protocol modelling and verification techniques, such as process algebra.

BibTeX Entry

  @inproceedings{Fehnker_GHMPT_12_2,
    address          = {Tallinn, Estonia},
    author           = {Fehnker, Ansgar and van Glabbeek, Robert and H\"ofner, Peter and McIver, Annabelle and Portmann,
                        Marius and Tan, Wee Lum},
    booktitle        = {International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems
                        (TACAS)},
    editor           = {{Cormac Flanagan and Barbara K\"onig}},
    issn             = {0302-9743},
    keywords         = {wireless mesh networks, routing protocols, model checking, uppaal, process algebra},
    month            = mar,
    pages            = {173--187},
    paperurl         = {https://trustworthy.systems/publications/nicta_full_text/5382.pdf},
    publisher        = {Springer},
    title            = {Automated Analysis of {AODV} using {UPPAAL}},
    year             = {2012}
  }

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