Cost Overhead Analysis Associated with Ipsec in the Next Generation Satellite Network

We consider the problem of information assurance in the next generation Satellite Communication network integrated with IP router in the space. An example of such a network is Transformational Satellite Network. In particular, we address an intriguing question of how much security is sufficient. In here, we discuss this question with respect to IPsec (as described in RFC 4301) in conjunction with the BGP protocol. A scenario that has been analyzed for this purpose involves evaluation of IPsec overhead encountered during the (re)-establishment of BGP routing based IP connectivity information for mobile nodes with intermittent links. Although IPsec provides effective information protection of the network connectivity, there is a cost associated with it in terms of latency and router processor memory, including processing support for other networking functions. These trades are analyzed and presented with the aid of simulations and testbed results.