HANDOFF LATENCY AND PACKET DROPPING PROBABILITY IN LAYERED MIPV6: A MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS

In this work a mathematical analysis for handoff latency and packet dropping probability at different anchor agents in a general n-layered architecture has been made. Through the analysis we want to find an optimal level of hierarchy with respect to handoff latency and packet dropping probability. We assume that each of the anchor agents in the network maintains an M/M/l/K queue. Analysis shows that handoff latency decreases by a ratio of 25-35% with the addition of a new layer up to layer three, around 15% decrease on adding fourth layer and a negligible decrease of 2-3% beyond layer four. Also, packet-dropping probability is directly proportional to the offered load, which in turn is dependent on the number of mobile nodes. As the number of layer increases, the coverage area of the anchor agent as well as the mobile nodes under its coverage increases. A 2-5% of the packets are dropped up to layer four and beyond which it exceeds 5%. A 5% handoff dropping is not considered to be acceptable. So, taking both, handoff latency and packet dropping probability in anchor agent, a three-layered architecture may be considered optimal.