Policy based mobility and flow management for IPv6 heterogeneous wireless networks

We propose a dynamic mobility management framework for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and policy enforcement enabled heterogenous wireless networks. Policies and policy rules are defined depending on network infrastructure facilities, service agreements and negotiation results. Each traffic is coupled with an identifiable traffic flow while the heterogenous interface flowbindings are regulated by polices. The network selection, flow distribution, handovers and mobility procedures are flexible and we propose to improve the decision making viaMultiple Attributes Decision Making (MADM). Techniques considered in the framework include the IPv6 based Network Mobility (NEMO), multihoming capability, transparent vertical handovers, horizontal handovers and dynamic policy enforcement matching process to improve the Quality of Service (QoS), Quality of Experience (QoE) and ubiquitous connectivity. A experiment testbed and simulation models have been constructed to verify the mobility framework performance in a heterogeneous WiFi, WiMax and UMTS hybrid environment.