A Software Defined Semi Distributed Mobility Management System Based on Layer 2 Backhaul Network

This paper presents a software defined networking (SDN) based semi-distributed mobility management system. By both using an SDN approach and leveraging layer 2 technology, i.e., carrier grade Ethernet and the 802.1ad standard, it is possible to simplify the network architecture by removing the need for the relatively complex GPRS tunneling protocol currently in use in the user plane. An analytical model is used to evaluate the control overhead of the proposed approach and a proof of concept testbed based on OpenFlow running the Floodlight controller is presented. Obtained results demonstrate that, as long as the SDN controller can quickly react to user mobility, frame loss can be mitigated and the proposed architecture is viable.