Jochen Grimminger

M-MPLS: Micromobility-enabled multiprotocol label switching

This paper presents the integration of multiprotocol label switching with hierarchical mobile IPv6. The resulting micromobility-based MPLS (M-MPLS) is defined in two modes of operation: overlay and integrated. In an overlay framework MPLS and HMIP operate on their respective layers without having common processes, tables, or signaling. In an integrated framework, related functions are merged. The overall goal of an integrated framework is to facilitate efficient and reliable network operations while simultaneously optimizing network utilization and system performance.

Securing layer 2 in local area networks

Network security problems have been well known and addressed in the application, transport, or network layers. However, the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) security has not been adequately addressed yet. To secure Local or Metropolitan Area Networks, the IEEE 802.1AE Media Access Control (MAC) Security Task Group has proposed the IEEE P802.1AE Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks: MAC Security (MACsec). MACsec introduces a new tag field, Security TAG (SecTAG), in Layer 2 frames. In this paper, we discuss the security concerns in Layer 2 and summarize some of the possible attacks in Layer 2 in Internet Protocol (IP) over Ethernet networks. We also provide an overview of the MACsec. Lastly, we propose to incorporate additional fields into the SecTAG to improve security in local area networks.

Addressing the weak link between layer 2 and layer 3 in the Internet architecture

With the rapid expansion and evolution of the Internet, the methodology of addressing in the data link layer and mapping between the network and data link layers has become inadequate to provide secure services in networks. In this paper, we examine the weak link between the network and data link layers in local area networks (LANs) with possible approaches to improve the network security.

Online Traffic Engineering and Connection Admission Control Based on Path Queue States

In this paper, we outline a new connection admission control and online traffic engineering framework for small networks using differentiated services. Decisions are made at the edge routers of the network. Multiple label switched paths are set up between each pair of edge routers. When a new connection arrives at an edge router, each path is evaluated to see whether it is able to carry the connection. Then, the best path of the remaining ones is picked. The evaluation of paths is based on state information gathered from the queues on each path. We show the results this scheme achieves based on simulations.

Distributed bandwidth reservation by probing for available bandwidth

For many applications in Internet protocol-based networks a guaranteed quality of service is crucial. A simple and scalable way of achieving this is to use the differentiated services architecture in conjunction with admission control. In this research, we focus on the reservation of bandwidth by routers on the edge of a single network domain with differentiated services support. We evaluate the assumptions made by previous research on probe-based bandwidth reservation. The availability of bandwidth is determined by measuring the throughput a probe flow of a certain rate achieves while the reservation is accomplished by assuming that the throughput this probe flow achieves equals to an amount of reserved bandwidth.

Traffic engineering based on local states in Internet protocol-based radio access networks

The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a traffic engineering architecture that uses local state information. This architecture is applied to an Internet protocol radio access network (RAN) that uses multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) and differentiated services to support mobile hosts. We assume mobility support is provided by a protocol such as the hierarchical mobile Internet protocol. The traffic engineering architecture is router based — meaning that routers on the edges of the network make the decisions onto which paths to place admitted traffic. We propose an algorithm that supports the architecture and uses local network state in order to function. The goal of the architecture is to provide an inexpensive and fast method to reduce network congestion while increasing the quality of service (QoS) level when compared to traditional routing and traffic engineering techniques. We use a number of different mobility scenarios and a mix of different types of traffic to evaluate our architecture and algorithm. We use the network simulator ns-2 as the core of our simulation environment. Around this core we built a system of pre-simulation, during simulation, and post-processing software that enabled us to simulate our traffic engineering architecture with only very minimal changes to the core ns-2 software. Our simulation environment supports a number of different mobility scenarios and a mix of different types of traffic to evaluate our architecture and algorithm.

Probing available bandwidth in radio access networks

This paper presents a way of measuring whether a certain amount of bandwidth is available on a path in a radio access network or in other kinds of networks with DiffServ support. The basic concept is to fill up the bandwidth that is not used by normal data traffic with special probe packets, which are only forwarded if there are no data packets that could be forwarded. When probing multiple paths the interaction of different probe flows can be exploited to signal bandwidth requirements and to reserve bandwidth. In contrast to other approaches, the available bandwidth is not estimated by using statistical properties of the transmission of trains of packets but determined by measuring the actual throughput of a stream of low-priority probe packets.

Adaptive measurement-based traffic engineering in small differentiated services domains

In this paper, we propose a framework for measurement-based traffic engineering and connection admission control in small-differentiated services domains. The domain investigated is a wired radio access network based on the Internet protocol (IP). This framework is evaluated by simulation using the popular network simulator ns-2. The framework is adaptive to changes in the network load and supports multiple types of service. All traffic-engineering decisions are made by edge routers (ERs) at the rim of the network domain. Multiple disjoint paths are configured between those ERs. Network state information is gathered in two different fashions. We evaluate a scheme based on the states of the queues on each alternative path and a scheme based on end-to-end probe packet transmission characteristics on each alternative path. Both schemes are compared to a shortest path first (SPF) routing approach. Copyright

Evaluation of the local state fair share bandwidth algorithm

The local state fair share bandwidth (LSFSB) algorithm for traffic-engineering in an incomplex radio access network (RAN) is further evaluated. LSFSB is a simple router-based algorithm using routers on the edges of the network that make the decisions on which multi-protocol label switched (MPLS) paths to place admitted traffic. LSFSB requires very little knowledge of global network state in order to function because it uses only local router state information. LSFSB was designed to work in an MPLS/DiffServ/HMIP environment in a RAN. Simulation is done using the network simulator ns2.