Search Algorithms for Routing Adaptation (SARA): From Tabu Search Foundations (1994) to Statistically-Assisted and Energy-Aware Intelligence for Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing

Context: The acronym SARA has been used for at least four independent routing-related concepts, leading to conflation in manuscripts that present Tabu-based routing (1994) and Statistically Assisted Routing (2008) as a single lineage. Objective: This paper 1) distinguishes two SARA definitions with documented evidence, 2) identifies where SARA is only acronym overlap, 3) provides verified references for all claims, 4) corrects figure caption vs plotted-point inconsistencies and unsupported statistical claims, and 5) supplies a complete reproducibility specification satisfying IJCNS requirements. Methods: Distinction of Tabu-SARA (Search Algorithms for Routing Adaptation, 1994 claim, tabu list, tenure, aspiration) vs Rossi-SARA (Statistically Assisted Routing Algorithms, Rossi, Zorzi, Rao, Wireless Networks 14: 55-70, 2008) vs EASARA (Energy Aware Simple Ant Routing Algorithm, Jabbar et al. 2015) vs Simple Ant SARA (MANET). Full reproducibility spec: ns-3.36, YansWifiPhy LogDistance + LogNormal σ4dB, AdhocWifiMac GeRaF 4 regions, BasicEnergySource 2J, 500 × 500 uniform placement ≥ 95% connectivity, 10% independent duty-cycle, N-1 CBR, 300 s duration, 6 densities × 10 seeds = 300 runs, static ConstantPosition, metrics with CI and t-test. Results: Corrected visual estimates 50 nodes EASARA ~215 SARA ~174 MFR ~112 (not 220/180/120); 200 nodes MFR ~90 SARA ~156 Tabu ~162 EASARA ~200 (not 95/155). Corrected rising curves offline optimal 1.00 → 1.05, SARA 1.11 → 1.20, MFR 1.28 → 1.38 (not flat 1.10× within 10% at all distances, 14.3% over at 10 hops). Tabu parameters tenure 7 - 12, aspiration 5%, loop reduction 73%, hybrid +8% audited as DESIGN CHOICE/HYPOTHESIS. Conclusion: No citation chain Tabu-SARA → Rossi-SARA. Acronym identity is coincidental reuse. Contribution is distinction with verified references, corrected figures/tables, full statistical reproducibility spec, and novel synthesis proposal labeled as new hypothesis.