An Identifier-Based Architecture for Native Vertical Handover Support

The growing demand for ubiquitous computing lead manufactures to develop multi-band devices supporting different network access technologies, such as GSM, Wi-fi, and UMTS. Although these devices support different access technologies, they lack of native vertical handover support, breaking any ongoing connections whenever users switch between access technologies. In this paper we present a next-generation Internet architecture with native vertical handover support, providing mechanisms to support mobility between different access technologies without disruptions. The architecture introduces an identification layer that decouples the host identification from its location, enabling native mobility support for legacy applications. The identification layer employs cryptographic identifiers to identify end-hosts over the Internet and to provide security mechanisms for identity management during vertical handovers. As a proof of concept, a prototype was implemented and evaluated in different vertical handover scenarios in GSM, Wi-fi and wired domains.