Seamless local internet mobility

Reducing packet loss and delay during handovers is of major importance in mobile networks. However, various handover proposals reported at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) have failed to minimize both these factors. In this document, we propose a novel context aware seamless handover scheme for local mobility in next generation IP networks. The proposed scheme considers the bandwidth requirements of applications and the load of access networks in order to make the most suitable handover decision. Moreover, while registration delay is reduced by using hierarchical topology, packet losses are minimized by introducing packet buffering at the Mobility Anchor Point (MAP). We compare the handover latency of the proposed scheme with the currently accepted IETF mobility protocols, by using simulations made with UDP and TCP traffic. Simulation results show that our scheme minimizes packet losses and reduces handover latency, hence making the scheme more suitable for roaming devices undergoing interactive voice or video communication sessions.