Applied inter-working in DRiVE: a next generation multi-access approach

During the last few years a tremendous increase in the number of mobile computers, in conjunction with the growth of wireless services, makes supporting Internet mobility important. Mobile users need to switch between networks in different administrative domains and between different types of access system as they move around the network. By introducing the DRiVE^φ system, a generic IPv6 backbone, based on Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6), extended to Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) improves the interworking connectivity. DRiVE is a hybrid system that integrates different access technologies into a common IPv6 network. The objectives of the DRiVE project are to develop and co-ordinate dynamic spectrum allocation, asymmetric usage of traffic and interworking of different radio access systems. The extension of MIPv6 to HMIPv6 opens a new path for reducing user signalling, minimising frequent address allocation and decreasing the number of "observable" inter-system handovers. The HMIPv6 introduces a new function, the so-called mobility anchor point (MAP). The MAP operates as a "virtual" home agent (HA), ie, intercepts packets addressed to the MAP destined to the mobile node\´s home address, encapsulates them, and tunnels them over the interconnected access system to the mobile node\´s registered care-of address. This paper describes several topics covered in the DRiVE system of which two scenarios: (1) registration, and (2) traffic routing are emphasised.