Information-centric networking meets delay tolerant networking: Beyond edge caching

Information Centric Network emerges a paradigm shift from host centric to information centric communication model. ICN deployment faces a significant challenge in poorly developed telecommunications infrastructures where end-to-end paths are not guaranteed. In this context, delay-tolerant networks (DTN) were introduced as an initiative that efficiently handles network interruptions. This paper proposes a new incentive approach for content caching, by exploiting ICN and DTN advantages while avoiding their shortcomings. The proposed caching solution intends to achieve a logical trade-off between the dissemination rate and the energy efficiency in such environments. To this end, we propose a reputation-based content caching mechanism where DTN stations (relays) attempt to deliver content stored in ICN stations. Our approach is designed to ensure an efficient equilibrium between the overall delivery probability and the energy consumption. Furthermore, the network performance is exhibited through a numerical investigation. We conclude that the proposed mechanism can significantly enhance the caching and the energy efficiency by achieving an optimum dissemination rate.