An analytical framework for evaluating MIPv6 protocols applying transport engineering concepts

As the future generation networks are envisioned to be heterogeneous in nature, seamless mobility in such networks is an important issue. While IETF work groups have standardised various mobility management protocols, such as Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6), Fast Handovers for Mobile IPv6 (Predictive FMIPv6, and Reactive FMIPv6), Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6), Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) and Fast Handovers for PMIPv6 (Predictive FPMIPv6, and Reactive FPMIPv6), the decision regarding which protocol suits the future networks is still a research issue. A good analytical or evaluation model, in terms of various performance metrics like handover latency, packet density, and signalling cost during the handover, is needed to compare various mobility management protocols. In this paper, a novel analytical model in terms of the handover latency, as well as the packet density, and packet arrival rate during the handover time is developed for comparison of various mobility management protocols by applying transport engineering principles in the field of telecommunication. The model enables us to make a few important observations regarding the performance of these mobility management protocols.