Reasoning on Starvation in AODV using Abstract State Machines

Abstract State Machines (ASMs) are very helpful in analyzing critical and complex systems, but they lack of inherent, domain-independent characterizations of computationally interesting properties. Our long-term research aims at providing an ASM-based characterization of the starvation-freedom property. To this end, in the present paper the Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol for Mobile Ad-hoc NETworks (MANETs) is modeled through ASMs, and starvation is studied. This experience suggests us to focus on vulnerable rules as the key issue that drives the risk of starvation within the ASM framework.