Relay-Based Synchronization of Replicated Data Types in Opportunistic Networks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Guidec, Frédéric, Mahéo, Yves
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Guidec, Frédéric
Mahéo, Yves
author_facet Guidec, Frédéric
Mahéo, Yves
contents In Opportunistic Networks (OppNets), the dissemination of information can only rely on transient pairwise radio contacts between mobile devices (peers). Designing distributed applications that can run in such conditions is a challenge, but replicated data types, and in particular Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs), can help meet this challenge. A CRDT is inherently replicated data type whose replicas can be updated locally, yet eventually converge thanks to an anti-entropy algorithm that allows all replicas to synchronize in the background. Whether the replicas of a CRDT can actually converge in an OppNet, and how fast they can converge, depend on the occurrence of radio contacts between mobile devices. In this paper we investigate the idea of using mobile relays as a means to boost the convergence of stated-based CRDT replicas in an OppNet. New protocols are presented that allow the synchronization of replicas and relays, and new metrics are defined to observe and characterize the convergence of replicas. Simulation results show that using relays can significantly improve this convergence, and even make it possible in scenarios where the replicas alone would be unable to converge.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_22491
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Relay-Based Synchronization of Replicated Data Types in Opportunistic Networks
Guidec, Frédéric
Mahéo, Yves
Distributed, Parallel, and Cluster Computing
Networking and Internet Architecture
In Opportunistic Networks (OppNets), the dissemination of information can only rely on transient pairwise radio contacts between mobile devices (peers). Designing distributed applications that can run in such conditions is a challenge, but replicated data types, and in particular Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs), can help meet this challenge. A CRDT is inherently replicated data type whose replicas can be updated locally, yet eventually converge thanks to an anti-entropy algorithm that allows all replicas to synchronize in the background. Whether the replicas of a CRDT can actually converge in an OppNet, and how fast they can converge, depend on the occurrence of radio contacts between mobile devices. In this paper we investigate the idea of using mobile relays as a means to boost the convergence of stated-based CRDT replicas in an OppNet. New protocols are presented that allow the synchronization of replicas and relays, and new metrics are defined to observe and characterize the convergence of replicas. Simulation results show that using relays can significantly improve this convergence, and even make it possible in scenarios where the replicas alone would be unable to converge.
title Relay-Based Synchronization of Replicated Data Types in Opportunistic Networks
topic Distributed, Parallel, and Cluster Computing
Networking and Internet Architecture
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.22491