Reliability-oriented ant colony optimization-based mobile peer-to-peer VoD solution in MANETs

Mobile peer-to-peer (MP2P) has emerged as a state-of-the-art technology for video resource sharing in mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs), building on the advantages of P2P data exchange and providing a feasible solution for large-scale deployment of media streaming services. Fast search for video resources and low maintenance overhead of overlay networks to support the mobility of nodes are key factors in MP2P video on demand solutions. In this paper, we propose a novel reliability-oriented ant colony optimization (ACO)-based MP2P solution to support interactivity for video streaming in MANETs (RACOM). RACOM makes use of highly innovative algorithms such as the peer status-aware mechanism and peer-centric overlay maintenance mechanism to support high-efficiency video resource sharing. The peer status-aware mechanism includes the user reliability measure model which is used to identify the peers having reliable playback status in order to find stable potential resource suppliers and a new ACO-based prediction model of playback behavior which provides the accurate prediction of playback content in the future to ensure the smooth experience and optimize the distribution of resources. In order to balance the fast supplier discovery and low maintenance overhead, RACOM makes use of peer-centric overlay maintenance mechanism composed of the time window-based detection strategy and encounter-based synchronization strategy to reduce the maintenance overhead of reliable peers, obtain quasi real-time status of peers and support the mobility of mobile nodes. Simulation results show how RACOM achieves higher hit ratio, lower seek delay, lower server stress, lower peer load and less overlay maintenance overhead in comparison with another state of the art solution.