Analysis of the usage of a logical interface in PMIPv6

A logical interface is used to hide the change of network interface from the upper host IP layer and it also can be used for a multiple interfaces mobile node in PMIPv6 domain. In a MN point of view, the link-layer identifier of a logical interface can use same link-layer identifier of physical interface or a totally different link-layer identifier from them of physical interface. And in a LMA point of view, a LMA may acknowledge each physical interface or only a logical interface of a mobile node when a multiple interfaces mobile node utilizes a logical interface. If a LMA assigns multiple home network prefixes to a multiple interfaces mobile node with a logical interface, a logical interface has various usages of the multiple home network prefixes. As following general PMIPv6 operations described in RFC 5213, all multiple home network prefixes are shown to host IP layer. Also, the logical interface hides the existence of multiple home network prefixes and shows only one home network prefix to host IP layer. In this paper, we analyse various usages of a logical interface in a viewpoint of link-layer identifier and multiple home network prefixes and give some guidelines to implement.