Deploying hand offmechanism with the software defined network vs mobile IP for 5G network: A feasibility study

Abstract

In recent times the Software De ined Network (SDN), Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), and Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) have evolved as emerging technologies with high performance computing capabilities for the deployment of network functions such as mobile Evolved Packet Core (EPC), irewalls, local cache, virtual base station, etc. Also the of the abstractions provided by Software Networks technologies (essentially SDN and NFV) to support an abstracted model for any 5G network function, independent of its nature (network, computational, storage) and the implied resources (optical, wireless, satellite, cloud, etc). The growth in telecommunications has also led to increased deployment of Mobile Internet Protocol (IP) technology besides General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), 3G and 4G Cellular networks for high-end data or packet switched calls. Mobile IP is an outcome of convergence of cellular communication with the IP networks as a Next Generation Network application on traditional networks to support real-time multimedia services, network mobility and 2-way access. However, there are limitations with the Mobile IP which has its own challenges for implementing in the network which includes Security issues like Denial-of-Service attack, Theft of information Passive Eaves Dropping, insider attack, etc. Further, in Mobile IP there exist triangulation problems between the sending and receiving nodes along with latency issues during handoff for the mobile nodes causing huge burden in the network. This paper will try to compare some of the existing deployments of Mobile IP and make comparative analysis with the SDN implementation models for the Cellular Network for the Handoff mechanism.