Nomadic users : mobility management in next generation networks ITU-T Workshop on NGN

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Nomadic users mobility management in next
generation networks ITU-T Workshop on NGN
July 9-10, 2003

• Frédéric DELMOND France Télécom RD

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Contents

• Introduction
• Requirements to support nomadic users in NGN
• Where the network can add value
• Technical challenges for mobility management in
  NGN
• Synergy with mobile networks
• Conclusions

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Introduction

Video on demand
Contents on the Web

• Which users ?
• Nomadic No active service session while on the
  move
• Mobile service sessions can be kept active
  while moving (hand-overs)

Multimédia Calls (VoIP)
ISP
Service Providers
IP Backbone

• What do they expect ?
• consistent service presentation and execution,
  whatever the access network point
• enhanced services, aware of the current user
  environment (e.g. location, bit rate)

Home
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Global requirements to support nomadic users

• An extensive range of access networks and
  terminals
• users are already proposed xDSL, WLAN, 3G mobile,
  etc. in addition to narrow-band access
• users already have PCs, laptops, PDA, handsets,
  etc.
• Nomadism should be supported across
  heterogeneous environments
• Global users in the network in the services
• enable a single user to be recognised across
  various access types
• enable a consistent service experience when users
  move

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Minimum requirements to support nomadic users
Who ? ? user identification authentication ?
Identify the user separatly from the access
Where ? ? user location management ? Retrieve
where the user is located, over which access hes
connected

Hand-overs

Contents on the Web
Video on demand
ISP
Multimédia Calls (VoIP)
Services
User ID Authentic.

User location
Access Control
PSTN (dial-up)
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Additional requirements to support nomadic users

• Enhanced services for nomadic users
• Virtual Home Environment concept
• users should experience consistent service
  execution
• services should be adapted to the current user
  situation in real-time

• VHE enablers
• know more about the user environment
• Access network Terminal capabilities
• know more about the user preferences
• General user preferences
• User configuration for the access service
• Presence and availability management

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Where can the network add value ?

• Where several services and applications require
  similar components
• Mutualisation of functions at the control layer
• avoid redundant developments within applications
  and services
• Design generic functions at the network control
  layer
• they should be re-usable for any type of
  services
• Web-based, VoIP, streaming services, etc.
• Examples are
• User Identification and authentication
• User access control

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Where can the network add value ?

• Where network operators have a distinctive
  advantage
• They have a unique and detailed knowledge of
  their access network
• Network topology and access location
• Access capabilities in real-time
• Extract information available in the protocols
  within the control or transfer plane
• Examples are
• User location can be guaranteed by network
  operators
• geographic or network-based information
• Information on user environment
• access networks and user subscription constraints

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Technical challenges for mobility management in
NGN

• User Identification, Authentication and
  Authorization are closely related
• Basic mandatory functions in mobility management
• Technical issues

• How to provide a simple secure interface to
  users ?
• SSO, enhanced authentication schemes

• How to enable the operator to be a trusted 3d
  party ?
• interactions to be defined with services
  applications

• Access control
• how does this function depend on the user ?

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Technical challenges for mobility management in
NGN

• How to handle data related to user location and
  user environment ?
• Information needed for VHE and enhanced services
• Ensure that protocols used in the signaling path
  conveys enough information
• e.g. access identification, access type,
  terminal type, etc.
• Provide a view of active access sessions in
  real-time
• allow services and application to retrieve user
  access data
• e.g. user location, max. bit rate available
• notify of user IP connectivity network
  presence
• easier presence management at application level

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Technical challenges for mobility management in
NGN

• A consistent and global approach for user
  profile is needed
• Services, applications and Mobility management
  functions rely on user data
• User profile is composed of
• dynamic data
• values change as users move
• e.g. user location, bitrate available, user
  presence, etc.
• static data
• values does not change as users move
• e.g. service subscription, user preferences,
  etc.
• How to retrieve any user data in a simple manner
  ?

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Synergy with mobile networks ?

• How to handle nomadism across fixed and mobile
  access ?
• Example 1
• develop MM functions for fixed access
• and mobile network are used as a simple access
  means.
• Users are handled by these MM functions whatever
  the access
• Example 2
• develop MM functions for fixed access
• users rely on mobile network MM when using a
  mobile access
• Develop specific coordination between mobile and
  fixed network
• In any case, the realization of VHE requires that
  
• consistent interfaces with users and with
  services whatever the access, fixed or mobile

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Conclusions

• Mobility management is a key feature in next
  generation networks
• A variety of access types terminals are
  proposed to users in NGNs.
• Support of nomadic users
• Enhanced services, adaptable to the current user
  environment (VHE)
• Standardisation activities for mobility
  management in NGN
• ensure a global user approach, independent of
  a specific access technology
• define a reference architecture and network
  functions required to support nomadic users
• define required interfaces for these functions in
  the control layer
• with the terminals, with the application layer,
  with the transfer plane