Field evaluation of a 4G “True-IP” network

This article presents field evaluation results of an IP-based architecture for heterogeneous environments, covering UMTS- like TD-CDMA (Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access) wireless access technology, wireless and wired LANs, that has been developed under the aegis of the IST Moby Dick project. The architecture treats all transmission capabilities as basic physical and data-link layers, and attempts to replace all higher-level tasks by IP-based strategies. The Moby Dick architecture incorporates mobile-IPv6, fast handover, AAA-control (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting), Charging and Quality of Service. The architecture allows for an optimized control on the radio link layer resources. The Moby Dick architecture has been implemented and was evaluated on field trials with multiple services

Authentication, authorization, accounting and charging for the mobile internet

Mobile data services across the Internet pave the path for a society of tomorrow. Users will be able to access data, information, and services independent of their location. This will ease the way of business and private life, such as for the traveling field engineer repairing electronic devices at the customers’ premises by downloading a new control software or the family on vacation accessing on their Personal Digital Assistant local maps and information on tourist attractions. Having these applications in mind, the Internet technology as it exists today has to be enhanced by a number of different features. An important one is the infrastructure for Authentication, Authorization, Accounting, and Charging (AAAC) those mobile services. These functions will ensure that mobility will not happen into places where not authorized and will enable a commercial operation of a network, which offers services to be sold, such as services with varying Quality-of-Service (QoS) or different security degrees. Therefore, existing approaches, such as the traditional AAA (Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting) Architecture of the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) have to be enhanced and equipped with performing and suitable functionalities

Extensions of AAA for future IP networks

The design of an extended and generic Authentication, Authorization, Accounting, and Charging Architecture (AAAC Arch.) has been performed within the IST project MobyDick. In addition, this architecture has been implemented to address MobyDick's main objective: to facilitate the deployment of a ubiquitous mobile IPv6-based, Quality-of-Service (QoS)-aware infrastructure through a flexible and evolutionary AAAC Architecture. While the AAAC Arch, is based on the DIAMETER protocol, basic concepts developed cover session and services models, user profiles to allow for user mobility and QoS-aware authorization. Based on those basic building blocks for the extended AAAC Arch., the implementation of user registration, service authorization, metering, accounting, charging, and auditing is discussed. The paper closes with the presentation of the two trial sites used and their testbeds

The ‘pure-IP’ Moby Dick 4G architecture

Network operators, service providers and customers are players who have different interests and raise different requirements on the functionality of future mobile communication networks. However, some new capabilities, such as mobility, security, ubiquity and quality are spelled out by all, which means that there exist some fundamental mechanisms which are in fact needed in every network. This paper concentrates on critical elements of the network infrastructure which need to be deployed in 4G networks before services can be offered. In the paper we discuss these elements, and show how they can be combined to satisfy versatile service requirements. Furthermore, the paper shows how to combine these mechanisms of three traditionally quite separate architectures-for Authentication, Authorisation, Accounting and Charging (AAAC), for Mobility (Mobile IP with Fast Handover), and Quality-of-Service (QoS). A technology-independent paging concept is also integrated in this system. The resulting integrated system architecture is general and can be deployed in heterogeneous environments. Our implementation has recently been completed, validated and verified with applications such as data transfer, voice-over-IP, video streaming and real time concurrent gaming. This prototypical implementation incorporates TD-CDMA, 802.11 WLANs and Ethernet, and treats all transmission technologies as physical and data-link layers, while higher-level functions are supported in a uniform way with an all-IPv6-based signalling