The Scalable LISP-Deployed Software-Defined Wireless Network (LISP-SDWN) for a Next Generation Wireless Network

Abstract

In order to improve the network and mobility management in wireless mobile networks, decoupled control and data planes have been designed, which is called the software-defined wireless network (SDWN). In this paper, we choose the locator/identifier separation protocol (LISP) to foster mobility management in an SDWN due to its address scheme. However, LISP adopts a distributed system to manage the location and identifier information of mobile nodes, which does not fit the SDWN requirement of a centralized management entity. Accordingly, recent LISP-related works have focused on how to build a LISP-centralized management entity, which does not guarantee routing scalability due to the lack of connectivity with the standard LISP sites outside of an SDWN. We present an OpenFlow-based centralized LISP management system where the routing coverage is scalable by the OpenFlow technology, which enables a transparent connectivity between the LISP-SDWN controller and mapping system without any changes to the LISP procedure. Another aim of our study is reducing the deployment cost from the perspective of the SDWN provider. The benefits of the OpenFlow technology include the fact that LISP-SDWN does not require extra control messages or LISP specification modification, while previous LISP-enabled solutions required extra control messages and procedure changes. Therefore, the deployment cost will be minimized as compared to other LISP-centralized management systems. We evaluate the location management and total operation costs of LISP-SDWN, LISP, LISP controller, HMIP, and MIP. The proposed LISP-SDWN shows the lowest management cost in different scale communications such as intra-domain communication, inter-domain communication, and inter-domain with a remote moving node.