AMTree: an active approach to multicasting in mobile networks

In this paper we propose AMTRee, an active network (AN) based multicast tree that is bidirectional, optimizable on demand and adaptive to source migration. We show how AN can be leveraged to enable a multicast tree to be modified and optimized efficiently after handoff. By filtering unnecessary signaling messages, maintaining minimal storage at routers and incorporating features of shared-tree methods we are able to achieve a scalable solution. Furthermore we introduce an AN-based optimization algorithm that is executed on demand by receivers. The performance of AMTree is compared to that of the bidirectional home agent (HA) method and the remote subscription method. We found that compared to the bidirectional HA method AMTree has a much lower handoff and end-to-end latency. The AMTree approach does not require a new multicast tree to be built after each handoff and yet the end-to-end latency is comparable to that of the remote subscription method.