A reference architecture for micro-mobility support in IP networks

This paper presents an architecture for supporting micro-mobility in IP networks. The architecture is presented in terms of its functional blocks and interaction protocols. The architecture, named mobility plane architecture (MPA), offers a network-centric solution for micro-mobility. This means that all the functions necessary for supporting Layer-3 mobility are placed on the network, not on the mobile node. The architecture does not interfere with services already deployed in the transport network, even services supporting macro mobility such as Mobile IP. Another key point is the total independence of the architecture from IPv6, meaning that it can be deployed on existing IPv4 networks.