Motivation for Network Controlled Handoffs using IP mobility
between heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks
draft-njedjou-inter-an-handoffs-00
| Document | Type |
Expired Internet-Draft
(individual)
Expired & archived
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Eric Njedjou | ||
| Last updated | 2003-06-11 | ||
| RFC stream | (None) | ||
| Intended RFC status | (None) | ||
| Formats | |||
| Stream | Stream state | (No stream defined) | |
| Consensus boilerplate | Unknown | ||
| RFC Editor Note | (None) | ||
| IESG | IESG state | Expired | |
| Telechat date | (None) | ||
| Responsible AD | (None) | ||
| Send notices to | (None) |
This Internet-Draft is no longer active. A copy of the expired Internet-Draft is available in these formats:
Abstract
In the near future, multi-interfaces Mobile Nodes will be used for connecting to the Internet by way of a multitude of Radio Access Networks including 802.11 based WLANs, GPRS, CDMA2000 and 3G based cellular networks. Ensuring the non-disrupted flow of real-time applications data, as well as adhering to subscribed service profiles while the Mobile Node moves between Access Networks of different technologies, is an issue that needs to be addressed. It is assumed that a unified and external IP core network is used to support such a multitude of Access Networks. This will probably be the case for a mobile network operator intending to benefit its subscribers with its own hot-spots broadband internet access. Consequently, the need arises to define managed handoff mechanisms between heterogeneous attachment networks, while providing service continuity to the Mobile Node. As such, information necessary for the Mobile Node to performing a judicious handoff across Wireless Access Networks, will have to be gathered from the involved Access Networks, transferred across the IP network that interconnects them, to the operators home network. This document discusses the desirability of a network controlled handoff process for optimizing inter-Access Network Mobile Node mobility. The approach presented provides the means for the operator home network to achieve the best possible selection of the Mobile Node target Access Network for handoff, on the basis of information gathered on the most relevant nodes. It introduces a new function located in the operator network and referred to as a Mobility Manager. It also introduces the concepts for implementing such a handoff process to make it compatible with Mobile IPv6. Other documents will be needed to specify the protocol structures that are intended for handling the handoff process hereafter described.
Authors
(Note: The e-mail addresses provided for the authors of this Internet-Draft may no longer be valid.)