DemoIPv6Nemo

NEMO BS

Context

The IPv6 mobility is mainly managed by 2 protocols defined at IETF : Mobile IPv6 and NEMO BS (NEtwork MObility Basic Support). Mobile IPv6 rules the host mobility whereas NEMO BS manages a whole IPv6 network mobility named mobile network. For NEMO BS, a equipment called the mobile router is dedicated to the whole network mobility management. According to this router, all the advantages of the IPv6 mobility are available for all IPv6 compatible equipments connected to the mobile network. Notably, this concept eases the access to the network for the end user, especially with the expansion of the new wireless technologies such as the Wi-Fi and the UMTS, from which the concept of pervasive networks has emerged.

Coupled with specific extensions, NEMO BS manages the IPv6 network mobility as well as the persistence of the streams and the equipment with multiple interfaces. Through various projects ANR (REMORA) and research contracts, the "Networking & Protocols" research team works on several enhancements of this protocol:

• Initial auto-configuration
  • Mobile routers auto-configuration at start-up
  • Service discovery over the mobile network
• Multihoming
  • Load balancing
  • Stream sharing
  • Fault tolerance
  • Auto-adaptive user softwares
  • Multiple mobile routers management

Showcase

Principle

To illustrate all the enhancements given by NEMO BS, we have created a environment corresponding to the one of a mobility provider. The mobile router is a moving equipment, which switches between access networks. During these switches, the NEMO BS mechanisms maintain an IPv6 connectivity and stream persistence, in a invisible way for the users.

Platform

The showcase platform comprises several different entities:

• The mobility service
  • The home agent
  • The mobile router
• The IPv6 media servers
  • Video streaming (VLC)
  • Radio (Icecast)
  • Voice over IP (AsteriskIPv6)
• The mobile IPv6 network users
  • IPv6 compliant operating system (Mac OS X, Windows Vista, GNU/Linux)
  • IPv6 compliant softwares (SIP-Communicator, VLC)
  • Laptop or tablet PC equipped with Wi-Fi

Scenario

After the boot sequence, the mobile router is self-configured in order to provide a connectivity to the associated users. These users can auto-discover the IPv6 services provided by the operator. Finally, the moving router changes its access network and maintains the connexions in a invisible way for the users.

Service discovery

• At the operator level, the mobile router is self-configuring with the right parameters (prefix of the mobile network, address of the home agent, etc.).
• In the mobile network, the associated clients are IPv6 auto-configured and can discover the available services (VoD, VoIP).

Fig.1 Service discovery in a mobile network

Multihoming

Each stream is distributed over the available interfaces by order of preferences and in accordance to the protocol and the port used. Figure 2 illustrates a mobile router with 3 network connexions activated (2 Wi-Fi and 1 satellite). The VoIP stream is assigned to the satellite interface when available.

Fig.2 Multi interfaces

Mobility management

The mobile router is always reachable through is main address, as well as the clients associated to the mobile network. The stream persistence is maintained by the home agent, which takes care of the stream redirection when the mobile router change its access network (Figure 3 and 4).

Fig.3 Mobility, access network A

Fig.4 Mobility, moving toward the access network B