Performance evaluation of a new fast inter-cluster handoff scheme in wireless ATM networks

One of the major challenges in mobile wireless ATM (WATM) networks is to support high speed ATM services like real time multimedia applications with stringent Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. To support these broadband applications with mobile services, the WATM networks must cater for the rerouting of the connections during inter-cluster handoff so as to yield path optimization of new routes. In existing handoff techniques, a two-phase handoff protocol has been proposed; path extension followed by the path optimization of the new connection. These current handoff techniques result in a large signaling overhead causing handoff latency due to both path extension and optimization. We are now proposing a new inter-cluster handoff technique for real time applications based on the sharing of information at the cluster boundaries so that only intra-cluster handoff is invoked followed by path optimization. Both analytical and simulation models are presented to evaluate the overall system performance in terms of wired link resources and the inter-cluster handoff processing overhead. Results show a significant saving in the allocated virtual channels and a very low inter-cluster handoff processing load.