Advanced IPv6 mobility management for next generation wireless access networks

The theme of this thesis is the advancement of IP mobility management mechanisms to support robustly the delay requirements of interactive IP applications services. Current IPv6 mobility management standards are heavily dependent on reactive manipulations of the IP handoff process. Such modus operandi appears to be insufficient to address delay transparency during interactive IP communications. By means of proactive signalling deliberations with candidate points of attachment, the IP handoff management function can sustain delay transparency and, thus, enhance the perceived quality of communication during the mobile node’s (MN’s) next IP transition. To this end, we assess to what extent recently proposed IPv6 macro-mobility management standards or alternative macro-/micro-mobility proposals meet such expectations. We extend our assessment by identifying experimentally factors that impede the performance of interactive applications over IPv6 Mobility standards, with particular focus on the process of IP handoffs. Such factors establish the control hypothesis of IP mobility management performance investigations. Through experimental measurements we show that both the wireless network and terminal treat reactive IPv6 mobility as disconcerting disruption in interactive communications: IPv6 address configuration as a form of state establishment appears to impose unacceptable delays in packet flows communicated to the MN. In this light, we investigate a novel IP mobility protocol architecture in support of delay seamlessness, irrespective of the MN’s mobility pattern. Driven by experimental evidence, we reconsider the design of core parts of the IP mobility management function by: (i) giving special emphasis to delay transparency in the MN’s communicated flows; (ii) scheduling core IP mobility component functions proactively, in advance of the MN’s next IPv6 handoff. These functions are: (a) IP handoff management (b) IP flow forwarding. By means of efficient IP handoff management, the delay components in control of the IP layer can be eliminated. By means of efficient IP flow forwarding the mobility management function can circumvent delays incurred beyond the control of