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FM Fluidity Manual v4

The document provides information about the Fluidity network configuration system. It describes the MPLS-based network architecture and fast handoff solution. It also outlines the configuration of infrastructure and vehicle nodes, and a monitoring tool called Fluidity Quadro.

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Juan Perez
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186 views

FM Fluidity Manual v4

The document provides information about the Fluidity network configuration system. It describes the MPLS-based network architecture and fast handoff solution. It also outlines the configuration of infrastructure and vehicle nodes, and a monitoring tool called Fluidity Quadro.

Uploaded by

Juan Perez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Fluidity

Configuration Manual
Release 7.0 / 6.5.x
Table of Contents

1. System Design ................................................................................................................... 1


1.1 Backbone Architecture ................................................................................................ 2
1.2 Vehicle Architecture ................................................................................................... 2
2. System Configuration ........................................................................................................ 3
2.1 Fluidity Quadro ........................................................................................................... 4
APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................ 6

Table of Figures

Figure 1. Logical Topology Mobility Scenario ...................................................................... 2


Figure 2. Fluidity Infrastructure Node Configuration ............................................................. 3
Figure 3. Fluidity Vehicle Node Configuration ...................................................................... 4
Figure 4. Fluidity Quadro........................................................................................................ 5

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1. System Design
The network architecture is based on Prodigy 2.0, MPLS-based technology, which is used to
deliver IP-encapsulated data. MPLS provides an end-to-end packet delivery service operating
between levels 2 and 3 of the OSI network stack. It relies on label identifiers, rather than the
network destination address as in traditional IP routing, to determine the sequence of nodes to
be traversed to reach the end of the path. An MPLS-enabled device is also called a Label
Switched Router (LSR). A sequence of LSR nodes configured to deliver packets from the
ingress to the egress using label switching is denoted as a Label Switched Path (LSP), or
“tunnel”. LSRs situated on the border of an MPLS-enabled network and / or other traditional
IP-based devices are also called a Label Edge Router (LER). The ingress node of the path
classifies incoming packet according to a set of Forwarding Equivalence Classes (FEC);
when a packet matches a class, it is marked with the label associated with the particular class
and then forwarded to the next node of the sequence, according to the information configured
into the Forwarding Information Table (FIB) of the node. Subsequently, each intermediate
node manipulates the MPLS label(s) stored into the packed and then it forwards the data to
the next node. The egress node finally removes the label and handles the packet using normal
IP routing functions.

The FIBs on the different nodes of the network are managed by means of a Label Distribution
Protocol (LDP) that is the primary component of the so-called network control plane. Fluidity
relies on a custom label distribution protocol that provides automated installation of LSPs
among the different nodes of the network; this ensures that each node can be reached from
any other node.

In traditional MPLS networks, whenever the network topology changes for any reason, the
FIBs of the nodes involved must be reconfigured to adapt to the new paths. This is usually
performed using the standard label distribution protocol signaling available.

In a mobility network scenario, the handoff process can be assimilated to a network topology
change, where a link is broken and a new one is created. The standard mechanisms to detect
the change and reconfigure the nodes are, however, too slow and data-intensive to provide
adequate performance in a real-time constrained scenario such as high-speed mobility. In
particular, the whole reconfiguration latency and the number of messages exchanged should
be minimized to reduce the chances that some data packets are lost in the process.

In order to mitigate the mentioned issues, Fluidity implements a fast handoff solution that is
able to provide very fast path reconfiguration with latency in the order of one millisecond.
The considered mechanism is proposed as an extension to the existing control plane of the
network and it is based on a specific manipulation technique concerning the MPLS FIB tables
of the nodes.

The scheme proposed allows mobile nodes, and client devices attached to them, to maintain
their IP address throughout the mobility process. Besides, all nodes are part of a single layer-
2 mesh network. This kind of management is often referred to as “micro-mobility” in
literature. The layer-3 handoff process is seamless in the sense that, thanks to a make-before-
break strategy, the availability of at least one valid LSP is ensured during the handoff
transitory as the network is reconfigured.

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For the rest of this manual we will make reference to the following picture, which illustrates a
sample mobility network scenario:

Static backbone
SB SB’

S1 S2 S3

Vehicle V1

M1 M2 M3

MM MB MB’

Figure 1. Logical Topology Mobility Scenario

All radios belonging to the same solid system are said to form a “mobility domain”. The
backbone and each individual vehicle are examples of distinct mobility domains, which are
represented in the picture as boxes.

1.1 Backbone Architecture


The LSR nodes of the backbone install automatic LSPs to ensure full connectivity across the
network.

1.2 Vehicle Architecture


The vehicle can be equipped with multiple mobile nodes for improving network redundancy
and resiliency. The routers and the devices are connected together using a layer 2 connection,
e.g. a network switch. The nodes inside each vehicle install automatic LSPs among them. The
radio with the lowest mesh ID is elected as master among the mobile nodes on the same
vehicle. This master radio, processes all traffic flowing between the onboard devices and the
backbone hosts, manages the wireless link currently used by the vehicle to connect to the
backbone taking the appropriate decisions with respect to which wireless node is selected for
the communication to and from the backbone among those available onboard.

LSPs connecting to the static backbone are installed and updated whenever the vehicle
performs the handoff procedure using dedicated signaling.

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Figure 2. Fluidity Infrastructure Node Configuration

2. System Configuration
Once the Fluidity plugin is installed and Prodigy 2.0 is enabled new pages will pop up in the
Fluidmesh radio Web GUI. In the Fluidity page you can configure the unit role. Specifically,
with reference to Figure 1, a unit can be configured to operate as “Infrastructure” if it belongs
to the static backbone (e.g. S1) or as “Vehicle” if it’s a mobile radio mounted on the vehicle.
In Figure 2, the configuration of unit as “Infrastructure” is reported whereas Figure 3
describes the configuration of a unit as “Vehicle”. In the latter case, please note that the
“Vehicle ID” must be specified as a unique identifier of the vehicle. In fact, when multiple
Fluidmesh devices are installed on the same vehicle they must be configured using the same
Vehicle ID.

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Figure 3. Fluidity Vehicle Node Configuration

2.1 Fluidity Quadro


Fluidity features a special monitoring tool, Fluidity Quadro. Fluidity Quadro is available on
the Mesh End only and consists of a map of the infrastructure units and the vehicle units
connected to them. For each vehicle, a real time graph indicating the actual signal received
from the infrastructure units is also reported. Different colors can be specified for each
vehicle unit to visually distinguish among them. An example of Fluidity Quadro with 2
infrastructure units and 2 vehicles is reported in Figure 4. Each vehicle is equipped with 2
Fluidmesh units. As can be seen the vehicle connections are evenly split between
infrastructure unit #1 and #2. Fluidity Quadro is updating real time and vehicle roaming and
signal levels can therefore be tracked down accurately.

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Figure 4. Fluidity Quadro

5
APPENDIX A

Contact Information

Worldwide Headquarters
Fluidmesh Networks, LLC
1327 Barclay Boulevard
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
U.S.A.

Tel. +1 (617) 209 -6080


Fax. +1 (866) 458-1522

info@fluidmesh.com

www.fluidmesh.com

EMEA Headquarters (Italy)


Tel. +39 02 0061 6189

UK Branch
Tel. +44 2078 553 132

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