Introducing HP-UX Mobile IPv6

1. The Reality of Mobile Computing Demands and Dilemmas

Early Internet and networking technologies safely assumed the nodes in a network would be stationary

and remain physically connected to their Home Network. Nodes were not expected—or designed—to

move after connecting to a network. It was possible for nodes to move and attach to the network from

different points. However, each move required the node to manually configure a new IP address and

default router based on its current location—temporarily losing network connections and the ability to

communicate in the process.

While adequate for their time, legacy network communication protocols are not capable of meeting the

demands and resolving the dilemmas of today’s very different mobile computing reality.

1.1 The Demand for Mobility

Mobility support for the future of the Internet is critical because mobile communications are rapidly

becoming widespread. The days of stationary computing soon will be gone. Mobile computing is

widespread and a norm today. Nodes are designed to move—and move fast. Some nodes move

some of the time, while other nodes move all the time and require constant network connectivity. For

example, highly mobile users in industries such as health care, sales, insurance, and field forces, are

looking for the benefit of an “Always-on” network connection to receive continuous business-critical

messages.

In the future—if not already today—an increasing number of these nodes will require an IP address.

Furthermore, the number of addressable devices per-person continues to grow. This growing demand

for IP addresses is the product of the several driving factors, including:

• the return-on-investment, productivity, and flexibility of corporations realize by having a mobile

enterprise work force

• the proliferation and continued momentum of WLAN deployments in campus and public hotspots

• the rapidly improving design and performance of mobile nodes, which now demand email, voice, video,

and, secured services

• the emergence of technologies such as third-generation (3G) cellular services, WAP, Bluetooth, and

Wi-Fi that rely on mobile Internet access

• the revenue opportunities for ISPs and Tel-Comms that provide mobility services within their

administrative domains

1.2 Mobility Dilemmas

While the demand for mobility is undeniable, the reality of providing the necessary support for such

demands presents several dilemmas, including:

• the availability of IP addresses

• the complexity of current network technologies due to workarounds, such as NAT and link-layer hand-

over mechanisms

• the need for “Always-on” and secured correspondence on a global scale

• the need to access the network in multi-access environments

• the counter productivity of slow access speeds, and competing and incompatible services

The computing obstacles preventing efficient mobility support to meet today’s demands are as

numerous as they are daunting. The aspirations and design ideals for a simpler and secured, mobility

solution on the global scale seem unrealistic, if not unattainable.