[Paper Review] Cloud based VANET Simulator (CVANETSIM)

Mohammad Mukhtaruzzaman, Mohammed Atiquzzaman|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 27, 2021

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs)3 references4 citations

TL;DR

This paper introduces CVANETSIM, the first cloud-based, web-accessible discrete-event simulator for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) with an integrated clustering module. It enables real-time, scalable simulation of high-mobility VANETs with hierarchical vehicle organization, addressing limitations in existing simulators through cloud-based processing and an interactive web interface for researchers.

ABSTRACT

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is an integral part of vehicular communication. VANET suffers many problems such as scalability. To solve scalability and other problems of VANET, clustering is proposed. VANET clustering is different than any other kind of clustering due to the high mobility of the vehicles. Likewise, VANET and VANET clustering, VANET simulator requires some unique features such as internet based real-time data processing, huge data analysis, the complex calculation to maintain hierarchy among the vehicles, etc.; however, neither web based VANET simulator nor clustering module available in the existing simulators. Therefore, a simulator that will be able to simulate any feature of VANET equipped with a clustering module and accessible via the internet is a growing need in vehicular communication research. At the Telecom and Network Research Lab (TNRL), University of Oklahoma, we have developed a fully functional discrete-event VANET simulator that includes all the features of VANET clustering. Moreover, the cloud based VANET simulator (CVANETSIM) is coming with an easy and interactive web interface. To our best of our knowledge, CVANETSIM is the first of its kind which integrates features of the VANET simulator, built-in VANET clustering module, and accessible through the internet.

Motivation & Objective

• Address the lack of web-based, scalable VANET simulators with native clustering support.
• Overcome scalability and mobility challenges in VANETs through a dedicated clustering mechanism.
• Enable researchers to simulate complex VANET scenarios with hierarchical vehicle organization.
• Provide a cloud-hosted, interactive web interface for accessible, real-time simulation without local infrastructure.
• Integrate advanced features like internet-based data processing and large-scale data analysis for VANET research.

Proposed method

• Design a discrete-event simulation framework tailored for high-mobility vehicular networks.
• Implement a dynamic clustering algorithm to organize vehicles into clusters based on mobility and proximity.
• Host the simulator on cloud infrastructure to support scalable, real-time processing and large-scale data analysis.
• Develop an interactive web interface for user input, simulation control, and result visualization.
• Ensure the system supports complex calculations for maintaining cluster hierarchy and inter-cluster communication.
• Integrate internet-based data pipelines for real-time data ingestion and processing during simulations.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Can a cloud-based VANET simulator with a built-in clustering module be effectively developed and deployed for research use?
• RQ2 How does the integration of clustering improve scalability and performance in VANET simulations compared to non-clustered approaches?
• RQ3 To what extent can a web-accessible, cloud-hosted simulator support real-time data processing and large-scale vehicular network analysis?
• RQ4 What are the usability and performance advantages of a cloud-based interface over traditional desktop-based VANET simulators?
• RQ5 How does the proposed system handle the dynamic and high-mobility nature of vehicular networks during simulation?

Key findings

• CVANETSIM is the first known cloud-based VANET simulator with an integrated clustering module.
• The system enables real-time simulation of high-mobility vehicular networks with hierarchical cluster management.
• The cloud deployment allows for scalable, internet-based data processing and large-scale simulation without local hardware constraints.
• The interactive web interface provides researchers with accessible, low-barrier access to advanced VANET simulation capabilities.
• The simulator supports complex calculations for cluster formation and maintenance, addressing key challenges in VANET scalability.
• The system demonstrates feasibility and practicality for researchers needing scalable, web-based simulation of VANET clustering.