NERON: A Route Optimization Scheme for Nested Mobile Networks

Abstract

To manage the mobility of mobile networks, IETF has proposed MIPv6 based Network Mobility (NEMO) Basic Support protocol. However the NEMO protocol has severe performance limitations and does not specify the route optimization method for mobile networks and does not take into account the operational and functional complexities involving nested mobile networks. The Next Generation Network (NGN) however warrants and demands optimized protocol operation capabilities in terms of supporting nested mobile networks that would meet the stringent quality of service requirements imposed by NGN. This paper presents NERON: NEst Route Optimization for NEMO, an efficient and scalable approach that aims at enabling nodes behind nested mobile networks to use optimized communication paths with zero tunneling overhead and end-to-end delay, irrespective of the depth of the nest, with minimum changes to the base MIPv6 protocol and without introducing any new network entities. The performance results are validated using an accurate simulation model.