A Modified Firefly Optimization Algorithm-Based Fuzzy Packet Scheduler for MANET

Abstract

In Mobile ad hoc Networks (MANETs), the packet scheduling process is considered the major challenge because of error-prone connectivity among mobile nodes that introduces intolerable delay and insufficient throughput with high packet loss. In this paper, a Modified Firefly Optimization Algorithm improved Fuzzy Scheduler-based Packet Scheduling (MFPA-FSPS) Mechanism is proposed for sustaining Quality of Service (QoS) in the network. This MFPA-FSPS mechanism included a Fuzzy-based priority scheduler by inheriting the merits of the Sugeno Fuzzy inference system that potentially and adaptively estimated packets' priority for guaranteeing optimal network performance. It further used the modified Firefly Optimization Algorithm to optimize the rules utilized by the fuzzy inference engine to achieve the potential packet scheduling process. This adoption of a fuzzy inference engine used dynamic optimization that guaranteed excellent scheduling of the necessitated packets at an appropriate time with minimized waiting time. The statistical validation of the proposed MFPA-FSPS conducted using a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test confirmed its predominance over the benchmarked schemes used for investigation.