Accomplishing Seamless IP Mobility in iNET Systems

Abstract

One of the core philosophies of the integrated Network Enhanced Telemetry (iNET) project is to leverage standard networking technologies whenever possible to both reduce development cost and to allow standard networking applications to function. This also provides the best long-term scalability to new unforeseen applications, much as the Internet has grown through its open standards. Unfortunately, the radio frequency (RF) channel characteristics do not fully lend themselves to the typical physical layer approaches utilized by IP technologies. As such, the iNET program has developed a specialized communication link management control. But, combining this specialized link management approach with the standardized IP infrastructure on the range and test article provides some challenges. The program has chosen a method to encapsulate the special concepts within a set of components that together (at their boundaries) form a classic router. Construction of this router is quite unique in that portions of it are geographically separate: antenna sites, test article, and mission control room. This paper describes the construction of what the program calls a "virtual router" and explains the performance issues that required it.