RFC 2103 (rfc2103) - Page 1 of 17

Mobility Support for Nimrod : Challenges and Solution Approaches

Network Working Group                                      R. Ramanathan
Request for Comments: 2103                  BBN Systems and Technologies
Category: Informational                                    February 1997


   Mobility Support for Nimrod :  Challenges and Solution Approaches

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
   does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   We discuss the issue of mobility in Nimrod.  While a mobility
   solution is not part of the Nimrod architecture, Nimrod does require
   that the solution have certain characteristics.  We identify the
   requirements that Nimrod has of any solution for mobility support.
   We also classify and compare existing approaches for supporting
   mobility within an internetwork and discuss their advantages and
   disadvantages.  Finally, as an example, we outline the mechanisms to
   support mobility in Nimrod using the scheme currently being developed
   within the IETF - namely, the Mobile-IP protocol.

Table of Contents

   1  Introduction...................................................  1
   2  Mobility :  A Modular Perspective..............................  2
   3  Effects of Mobility............................................  4
   4  Approaches.....................................................  6
   5  Solution using IETF Mobile-IP.................................. 10
      5.1 Overview .................................................. 10
      5.2 Protocol Details........................................... 11
   6  Security Considerations........................................ 15
   7  Summary........................................................ 16
   8  Acknowledgements............................................... 16
   9  Author's Address............................................... 17

1  Introduction

   The nature of emerging applications makes the support for mobility
   essential for any future routing architecture.  It is the intent of
   Nimrod to allow physical devices as well as networks to be mobile.

   Nimrod, as a routing and addressing architecture, does not directly
   concern itself with mobility.  That is, Nimrod does not propose a
   solution for the mobility problem.  There are two chief reasons for



Ramanathan                   Informational