Abstract: Online social networks have developed rapidly. The social relationships and topology characteristics of online social networks can be used to enhance the function,performance and security of network protocols,so it becomes a hot research topic. The network protocol enhancing mechanisms based on online social networks were explored. Firstly the existing enhancing mechanisms based on their features were classified. Then the critical techniques used in these approaches were studied and the weaknesses of related research were summarized. Finally a network protocol enhancing model based on social-aware plane was proposed.

Key words: Online social networks, Social relationship, Topology characteristics, Network protocol enhancing, Social-aware plane