DB-SAHO network-based distributed mobility management: enhancing handover performance in mobile networks

Although the mobility protocols have improved, Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6)-Based Distributed Mobility Management (DMM) networks still have significant challenges to ensure a seamless user mobility. These problems include long handover process, high chance of information loss after information is transferred, high signaling overhead and the overload of network resources, and the loss of packet order. This results to poor quality real-time applications. To remove these limitations, we propose Dual Buffering and Signaling Aggregation of Handover Optimization (DB-SAHO) process. DB-SAHO bundles several signaling messages in one coherent message, allowing to save signaling costs and facilitate handovers in a better way. Mobile Access and Anchor Routers have new and forward data buffers. These provide temporary storage capability of in-transit packets. This ensures that data delivery has no loss or data reordering for mobility events. This type of buffer manages ensures that packets reduce the loss, and prevents the out-of-order delivery. As a result, it makes the user experience better. DB-SAHO also employs a smart selection system in order to select the optimal next network point for the mobile-user. This facilitates easy transit between MAARs. The proposed method does not present additional structures or control-plane procedures. It instead aligns data buffering with joint signalling in such a way that data forwarding and signalling completion are not coupled during handover. We used the Omnet++ network simulation software to test this strategy and compare it with existing NBDMM schemes. Simulation result shows that DB-SAHO saves handover time and signaling cost, maintains packet order and greatly improves handover reliability in DMM networks.