System and method for providing simultaneous handling of layer-2 and layer-3 mobility in an internet protocol network environment

• US 8,369,357 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Iyer, Jayaraman R., Oswal, Anand K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US11/365,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370464-469, 455/432.2
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/742 Route cache; Operation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

An apparatus for providing mobility in an Internet protocol (IP) network environment is provided that includes a cell site element operable to receive an address resolution protocol (ARP) signal from a base station. The ARP signal is associated with a selected mobile station that can roam between networks. In response to the signal, the cell site element evaluates a table that identifies a plurality of mobile stations and if the selected mobile station is not present in the table, then a mobility registration request is generated and communicated to a next destination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an address resolution protocol (ARP) message from a base station, the ARP message sent in response to a layer 2 link indication from a mobile station;

sending a mobility registration request to request registration for the mobile station;

receiving a response to the mobility registration request, the response indicating an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion is one of layer 2 switching a specific VLAN, and layer 3 terminating an IP address and adding an entry to a mobility binding table; and

responding to the response by performing the action to facilitate the layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein if the action is switching layer 2 traffic, then performing enabling layer 2 forwarding, and if the action is layer 3 terminating an IP address, then performing tagging the mobile station as layer-3 and adding the mobile station to a visited table.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobility registration request is generated by using a WiMax protocol, a proxy mobile IP protocol, a GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP), or a wireless LAN context communication protocol (WLCCP) protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobility registration request identifies a VLAN on which the ARP message was received and a MAC address associated with a request for the selected mobile station.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing the request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing the request based on the VLAN, the MAC address, or a network access identifier (NAI).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responding to the request by implementing a redirection policy, by mapping the selected mobile station to a VPN routing and forwarding (VRF) element or to a VLAN, or by applying a pseudo-wire.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responding to the request by communicating layer-3 packets from a home agent to a cell site element associated with the base station.

8. A system comprising:

means for receiving an address resolution protocol (ARP) message from a base station, the ARP message sent in response to a layer 2 link indication from a mobile station;

means for sending a mobility registration request to request registration for the mobile station;

means for receiving a response to the mobility registration request, the response indicating an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion is one of layer 2 switching a specific VLAN, and layer 3 terminating an IP address and adding an entry to a mobility binding table; and

means for responding to the response by performing the action to facilitate the layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein if the action is switching layer 2 traffic, then performing enabling layer 2 forwarding, and if the action is layer 3 terminating an IP address, then performing tagging the mobile station as layer-3 and adding the mobile station to a visited table.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobility registration request is generated by using a WiMax protocol, a proxy mobile IP protocol, a GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP), or a wireless LAN context communication protocol (WLCCP) protocol.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobility registration request identifies a VLAN on which the ARP message was received and a MAC address associated with a request for the selected mobile station.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for authorizing the request.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for authorizing the request based on the VLAN, the MAC address, or a network access identifier (NAI).

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for responding to the request by implementing a redirection policy, by mapping the selected mobile station to a VPN routing and forwarding (VRF) element or to a VLAN, or by applying a pseudo-wire.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for responding to the request by communicating layer-3 packets from a home agent to a cell site element associated with the base station.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing code for providing mobility in an Internet protocol (IP) network environment, the code when executed is operable to:

receive an address resolution protocol (ARP) message from a base station, the ARP message sent in response to a layer 2 link indication from a mobile station;

send a mobility registration request to request registration for the mobile station;

receive a response to the mobility registration request, the response indicating an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion is one of layer 2 switching a specific VLAN, and layer 3 terminating an IP address and adding an entry to a mobility binding table; and

respond to the response by performing the action to facilitate the layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein if the action is switching layer 2 traffic, then performing enabling layer 2 forwarding, and if the action is layer 3 terminating an IP address, then performing tagging the mobile station as layer-3 and adding the mobile station to a visited table.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the mobility registration request is generated by using a WiMax protocol, a GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP), a proxy mobile IP protocol, or a wireless LAN context communication protocol (WLCCP) protocol.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the mobility registration request identifies a VLAN on which the ARP message was received and a MAC address associated with a request for the selected mobile station.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

authorize the request.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

authorize the request based on the VLAN, the MAC address, or a network access identifier (NAI).

20. An apparatus comprising:

a cell site element operable to;

receive an address resolution protocol (ARP) message from a base station, the ARP message sent in response to a layer 2 link indication from a mobile station;

send a mobility registration request to request registration for the mobile station;

receive a response to the mobility registration request, the response indicating an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein an action to facilitate layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion is one of layer 2 switching a specific VLAN, and layer 3 terminating an IP address and adding an entry to a mobility binding table; and

respond to the response by performing the action to facilitate the layer 2 network to layer 3 mobility conversion,

wherein if the action is switching layer 2 traffic, then performing enabling layer 2 forwarding, and if the action is layer 3 terminating an IP address, then performing tagging the mobile station as layer-3 and adding the mobile station to a visited table.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the mobility registration request is generated by using a WiMax protocol, a GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP), a proxy mobile IP protocol, or a wireless LAN context communication protocol (WLCCP) protocol.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the mobility registration request identifies a VLAN on which the ARP message was received and a MAC address associated with a request for the selected mobile station.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a home agent operable to authorize the request.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a home agent operable to authorize the request based on the VLAN, the MAC address, or a network access identifier (NAI).

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the cell site element is further operable to respond to the request by implementing a redirection policy, by mapping the selected mobile station to a VPN routing and forwarding (VRF) element or to a VLAN, or by applying a pseudo-wire.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a home agent, wherein in response to the request layer-3 packets are communicated from the home agent to the cell site element.