Enabling network mobility support
Abstract
As computing devices become increasingly portable, it is becoming necessary to support
Mobility as a core network functionality. The availability of devices such as smartphones,
tablets, laptops as well as wireless network infrastructure is opening up the possibility
of using Network Mobility to cater for multiple mobile nodes simultaneously. Network
mobility may be useful in a number of mobile scenarios, where a large number of mobile
nodes are moving in unison. A number of operational benefits stand to be gained by
aggregating these nodes into a single mobile unit.
Unfortunately, the current state for network mobility support, especially in terms of network
layer protocols, is limited. This is in part due to the inherent complexity of mobile
network scenarios, the high cost of testing mobile network protocols in operational environments
and the difficulties in implementing such protocols.
This thesis looks at how network mobility support may be better enabled by making experimentation
with mobile networks more accessible. It shows this by first showing how
analytical approaches can be useful in mobile network applications, as they abstract away
from experimental details and allow for more straight forward protocol comparisons. It
then goes on to look at the tools available to study mobile network protocols, where it
introduces and extends an existing tool that uses virtual machines to allow for the study
of mobile network protocols. Finally, it demonstrates a practical method in which mobile
network support may be easily enabled in a practical setting.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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