Underwater Networking Architecture (UNA)

Over the past few decades, various schemes have been proposed for use in underwater networks. However, no widely accepted common framework exists for underwater acoustics to unify these proposed schemes into a functional underwater network. The availability of such a framework will enable easy integration of independently developed systems and thus accelerate the pace of research in underwater acoustic networking. This is the primary motivation behind the proposal of the UNA framework, first introduced in OCEANS'06 by a team from ARL, MIT and WHOI [1].

Many traditional approaches to network design are based on the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model or its variants. We define an underwater networking framework loosely based on the OSI model – the Underwater Network Architecture (UNA). The primary goal of the initiative is to define a layered architecture for underwater networking research. The architecture has to take into account underwater networking needs and be specific enough to allow easy integration between implementations of different layers by different research groups. At the same time, the architecture has to be flexible enough to accommodate different application requirements and new ideas. In addition to defining a layered architecture, the architecture definition specifies the primitives that define communication between layers. By conforming to the communication guidelines, various layer implementations can easily be integrated. Additionally, a UNA Framework Application Programming Interface (FAPI) is defined to enable layer implementations to be easily incorporated into various stacks. To ensure flexibility, the architecture also defines an extension framework so that the architecture can be expanded and cross-layer optimization can be taken into account.

The UNA architecture is currently implemented in ARL modems. A draft of the UNA specifications can be downloaded below. Inputs and suggestions on refining and improving the specifications are welcome, and should be directed to MandarChitre.

Related Documents

• UNA Specifications v0.6

Related Publications