A cross-layer approach to optimize proxy mobile IPv6 handovers performance

Current trends in mobility management research depict that handover delay and packet loss minimization are parameters of utmost importance in an endeavor to formulate a mobility management solution that offers seamless handovers as a mobile node changes points of attachment. This is largely driven by the requirement to offer uninterrupted real-time services to mobile users. It has also been noted that there is a current and future anticipated rapid increase of mobile data traffic volumes with the introduction of new innovative IP-based services. This thus calls for mobility management solutions that will be able to scale with the rapid traffic increase while still achieving seamless handovers. This paper thus introduces a Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) based solution that uses a cross-layer approach to incur minimal packet loss and handover delay while also efficiently utilizing network resources such as backhaul bandwidth and network elements´ buffer space by executing the handover operations in a timely and accurate manner. This is achieved by using a signal strength prediction algorithm that estimates the viability of a link when a handover is imminent so as to attain a timely and accurate handover execution. This paper further provides an in-depth analysis of the proposed solution. The model of the solution is implemented on the network simulator 2 (ns2) and its performance is analyzed in regard to packet loss, handover delay. The results indeed show that the solution optimizes the performance of PMIPv6 handovers whilst also ensuring efficient network resources utilization, thus making it a much more scalable PMIPv6-based solution.