A Survey on Network Management for xANET: Evolution, Challenges, Future Directions

The x ad hoc network (xANET) termed as a family of ad hoc networks, including mobile ad hoc network (MANET), vehicular ad hoc network (VANET), flying ad hoc network (FANET) and satellite ad hoc network (SANET), has found a wide range of applications in providing ubiquitous wireless services. Despite its broad utility, the dynamic nature and lack of a centralized controller pose significant challenges to effective and flexible network management for xANET. Conventional network management protocols face challenges such as scalability, security vulnerabilities, configuration complexity, robustness, and performance resilience. Recent efforts have presented different approaches, focusing on policy-based network management (PBNM) and intent-driven network management (IDNM). However, there is no comprehensive survey to clarify their concepts and classifications. This paper presents a survey of the network management evolution for xANET, covering configuration-based, policy-based and the latest intent-driven approaches. We first introduce the characteristics and applications of xANET. Meanwhile, we investigate the network management concepts and challenges. Moreover, we survey the evolution of management protocols for xANET, including simple network management protocol (SNMP), PBNM, and IDNM. Then, we follow the detailed network management of xANET from configuration-based to policy-based and intent-driven approaches. Through comparative analysis, it is found that IDNM employs a more intelligent management protocol, demonstrating higher efficiency and flexibility in handling complex tasks and dynamic network management. This makes it better suited to addressing the challenges of xANET management. Finally, we summarize the remaining challenges and possible future research directions.