General

Cisco Says Interplanetary Internet Doable

Cisco hopes to enable your wireless Internet service to shoot for the moon—or at least offer some very interesting mobile services that don't care what type of device is connected to your network.

by Jim Thompson [November 30, 2001]

Cisco Systems, Inc. is giving IPv6 another boost with the introduction of Mobile IP functionality in its IOS software. The added functionality could also open up new revenue streams for wireless service providers by helping them expand into such services as telematics, emergency management services, trucking and even railroad communications.

If you add Cisco's Mobile Networks functionality to an existing Cisco router, you enable the entire network of connected IP devices to roam across network boundaries and connection types without changing IP addresses.

"Cisco Mobile Networks opens a wealth of opportunities for service providers in a number of areas," said Vinay Anand, Mobile IP product manager, Cisco Internet Technologies Division. "The multi-billion dollar trucking industry, airlines, passenger cars and emergency services are all potential clients for this technology. For the ISP, it's easy to deploy and offers a good return on the investment."

IPv6 is also expected to get a boost from the technology since each device connected—whether that's a PC, laptop, PDA or cell phone—will need its own IP address. This demand for address space will only hasten the depletion of the available pool of addresses under IPv4 standards, which by some estimates will be exhausted by the year 2005.

In traditional mobile solutions, IP addresses are available only for the current subnet. The address changes dynamically as one moves to a new subnet. This works fine for most wired networks, but generally requires that you disconnect before moving to a new location and then establish a new connection.

Flexible connectivity
Cisco's Mobile IP solution eliminates the problem by maintaining the same connection and IP address during travel. "Not only can you maintain a connection as you cross subnets with the same network, but also the connection is maintained through multiple link types," said Anand.

All you need is a mobile node (laptop, PDA, etc.), a Mobile IP enabled Cisco router, which is called the "home agent," and a foreign agent, which is a router that sits in a foreign network (below).

The home agent keeps tracks all the functions of the mobile node including the IP address, security binding policies, and authentication. When traveling, the mobile node is passed from one foreign agent to another. Once the foreign agent is authenticated, a tunnel is established between the two agents, so the connection is maintained.

"Because the router, which has Mobile IP functionality, takes care of the mobility bindings, the user connected to that router does not need client software," noted Anand. "I can take a laptop without Mobile IP client software and connect using a LAN technology—Ethernet or wireless LAN—via a Cisco router and travel from one end of the country to another and stay connected."

Mobile IP maintains control and authentication at the IP level instead of at the physical layer in the radio link, making the hand-over process between ISPs, or foreign agents, transparent to the user.

Agnostic linkage
"It's a seamless operation," noted Anand. "As you move from one foreign agent to another your previous tunnel is turned off and a new tunnel is setup. The end-user is not even aware of what is going on. It works across wireless LANs, CDMA, GSM, and satellite, so it's agnostic of link type."

This aptly dubbed "always on" connection opens exciting new possibilities for service providers, including the capability of maintaining a connection even during an international flight. Using Mobile IP with the Cisco Mobile Networks functionality, passengers could connect to an on-board router with a laptop, PDA, or even a cell phone equipped with an Ethernet or 802.11b Wi-Fi card, and maintain a continuous in-flight connection to the Internet.

"NASA Glenn is working to deploy Cisco's Mobile Networks on low-earth-orbiting research craft," said William D. Ivancic, senior research engineer, NASA Glenn Research Center. "For our work, the continuous connectivity is key. Additionally, Cisco's solution does not require special software, equipment or anything unique behind the router—any device that runs IP will work. This provides unprecedented flexibility."

NASA is also looking at the technology as the basis for creating what Anand called "an interplanetary Internet."

Auto prospects
Closer to home, Mobile IP is opening new vistas for functionality in automobiles through telematics. At Comdex Fall, Cisco President and Chief Executive Officer, John Chambers, touted the value of mobility.

"I can run our company from anyplace in the world with the right connection," said Chambers. "The implications are huge."

Chambers also demonstrated an Internet-ready car that uses virtual private networking (VPN) technology to provide an encrypted connection between the vehicle and the network.

The car's computer can synchronize with the dealer to schedule maintenance and monitor systems like brakes as the car is being driven. Chambers also demonstrated how the system could download and play music via an in-dash MP3 player or order a cup of coffee from a dive-thru restaurant using the on-board touch screen panel.

According to Cisco, "the Mobile IP technology provides the bridge between the wireless LAN in the drive-thru and a wireless cell network operated by a local ISP."

Utilizing a secure browser connection, the system can do such things as play songs on the radio and control the temperature settings from a remotely connected PC or PDA.

Cisco's Mobile Networks functionality is currently available in Cisco IOS software release 12.2(4)T and runs on all Cisco routers. Although pricing varies on whether your wireless ISP purchase is made directly from Cisco as a Premier, Gold, or Silver Partner, as a distributor, or as an authorized reseller, the return on investment at your WISP business make it worth setting up the system today.

—End