Evaluating the Performance of Fast Handover for Hierarchical MIPv6 in Cellular Networks

Next-Generation Wireless Networks (NGWNs) present an all-IP-based architecture integrating existing cellular networks with Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANs), ad hoc networks, Bluetooth, etc. This makes mobility management an important issue for users roaming among these networks/systems. On one hand, intelligent schemes need to be devised to empower mobile users to benefit from the IP-based technology. On the other hand, new solutions are required to take into account global roaming among various radio access technologies and support of real-time multimedia services. This paper presents a comprehensive performance analysis of Fast handover for Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (F-HMIPv6) using the fluid-flow and randomwalk mobility models. Location update cost, packet delivery cost and total cost functions are formulated based on the proposed analytical models. We investigate the impact of several wireless system factors such as user velocity, user density, mobility domain size, session-to-mobility ratio on these costs, and present some numerical results.