METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FORWARDING PACKET IN ID/LOCATOR SEPARATION ENVIRONMENT

Disclosed is a method for communication between a first terminal and a second terminal located in a single domain in an identifier/locator separation environment. The method includes: updating a locator by the second terminal in association with a domain gateway in the domain; and generating a forwarding table for the second terminal by the first terminal and performing a communication by the first terminal and the second terminal by using the forwarding table.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0013279, filed on Jan. 28, 2015 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for communication between end-hosts within a local domain in an identifier/locator separation environment, and more particularly, to a technology for communication between end-hosts within the same local domain.

2. Description of the Related Art

A current communication structure of the Internet is an end-to-end structure in which an internet protocol address (IP Address) which is the basis of an identifier is assigned to an end-host and a communication between hosts is performed based on the assigned IP Address.

In the communication structure of the Internet, the IP address is assigned to an interface of each host and a communication node. When a sender desires to transmit data to a receiver, the data containing transmission information includes a header that contains control information. Here, the header includes the IP address of the sender and the IP address of the receiver.

Next, a data transmission method in a network determines a routing path in a network based on a transmission IP address that the header includes.

A conventional data transmission method in the Internet is designed in consideration of Internet environment which is configured of a small number of fixed hosts, which may lead to inefficiencies in a mobile environment-oriented network environment which is configured of several billion mobile hosts or more. Such inefficiencies are as follows.

First, in the current internet configured based on a fixed environment, a locator, i.e., an IP address, that indicates a position in which a corresponding host is located should be assigned with respect to a mobile host. However, the method of assigning fixed information with respect to the mobile host, when the locator of the mobile host can be changed any time as the position of the mobile host is changed in the mobile environment, may lead to inefficiency, such as a reconfiguration of a locator or the like, and a degradation of communication performance.

Second, in the current internet, an identifier for identifying the communication connectivity and the locator information for the transmission of actual data are integrated in the IP address. This may not be a problem in the fixed environment, but it is not a proper structure in a mobile environment in which the identifier should be fixed for service continuity and the identifier should be changed frequently depending on the position movement, which may require an inefficient additional process.

That is, the existing structure in which the identifier and the locator are integrated is inefficient in various services to support a technology such as multi-homing, mobility, and the like.

In recent years, it is required to separate the overlap of the identifier (ID) and the locator of the existing IP address, and a technology for mapping the identifier and the locator for separating the identifier and the locator has been also developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a method and a system for enabling a communication between end-hosts in the same local domain in an identifier/locator separation environment.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for communication between a first terminal and a second terminal located in a single domain in an identifier/locator separation environment includes: updating a locator by the second terminal in association with a domain gateway in the domain; and generating a forwarding table for the second terminal by the first terminal and performing a communication by the first terminal and the second terminal by using the forwarding table. When the domain gateway receives a location confirmation message from the second terminal, updating a locator by the second terminal includes requesting a location update to a mapping system and registering the second terminal in a local host list. The location confirmation message includes a locator of the second terminal that is a transmission terminal, and a local domain address of the domain to which the second terminal belongs. Performing a communication by the first terminal and the second terminal includes: determining, by the first terminal, whether the forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists in the first terminal; and transmitting a packet to the second terminal according to the forwarding entry, when the forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists in the first terminal. Transmitting a packet to the second terminal includes: determining, by the first terminal, whether an external transmission interface of the forwarding table entry for the second terminal is set; setting the external transmission interface by using a local domain routing table by the first terminal, when the external transmission interface is not set; and transmitting the packet to the second terminal by using forwarding table entry information including the external transmission interface, by the first terminal. When the forwarding table entry for the second terminal does not exist in the first terminal, determining whether the forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists includes transmitting the packet to the domain gateway; determining, by the domain gateway, whether the forwarding table entry for the second terminal that is a destination exists in the domain gateway; and transmitting the packet to the second terminal according to the forwarding table entry for the second terminal, when the forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists in the domain gateway. When the forwarding table entry for the second terminal does not exist in the domain gateway, determining whether the forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists in the domain gateway includes: determining, by the domain the gateway, whether an identifier of the second terminal is registered in a local host list; transmitting a local resolve message to the first terminal by the domain gateway when the second terminal is registered in the local host list; and transmitting a packet received from the first terminal to the second terminal by the domain gateway. The local resolve message includes an identifier of a second terminal that is a destination end-host, a local domain protocol of a domain to which the second terminal belongs, and a local domain address. The method further includes generating a local forwarding table entry for the second terminal by the first terminal which received the local resolve message. The method further includes transmitting a packet directly to the second terminal by using the local forwarding table entry for the second terminal, when the first terminal desires to transmit the packet to the second terminal. The local forwarding table entry includes an identifier of the second terminal that is a destination, an external transmission interface, a local domain protocol of a domain to which the second terminal belongs, and a local domain address of the domain to which the second terminal belongs.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for performing a communication between a first terminal and a second terminal located in a single domain in an identifier/locator separation environment includes: a local host list configured to register all terminals belonging to the domain; a register configured to update a locator in association with a mapping system when receiving a location confirmation message from the second terminal, and register the second terminal in the local host list; and a controller configured to determine whether the second terminal is registered in the local host list, when receiving a request for transmitting a packet from the first terminal to the second terminal, and transmitting a local resolve signal to the first terminal and transmitting the packet to the second terminal when the second terminal is registered in the local host list. The controller determines whether a packet is the location confirmation message when the packet is received from the first terminal, determines whether a forwarding table entry for the second terminal exists when the packet is not the location confirmation message, and transmits the packet according to the forwarding table entry when the forwarding table entry exists. When the forwarding table entry does not exist, it is determined whether the second terminal is registered in the local host list. The local forwarding table entry includes an identifier of the second terminal that is a destination, an external transmission interface, a local domain protocol of a domain to which the second terminal belongs, and a local domain address of the domain to which the second terminal belongs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure discloses a technology of communication between end-hosts in a local domain of an identifier/locator separation environment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 6.

FIG. 1is a diagram illustrating a communication environment of a communication system between end-hosts in a local domain of an identifier/locator separation environment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure may be applied in a network environment which is a hierarchical domain in an identifier/locator separation environment, and each domain may be defined as a group of nodes having similar features. Each domain may be configured of nodes that use physically same transport protocol, and may be extended to a group of nodes that have a local common or a similar communication purpose. An identifier of domain may be given to each domain, and the identifier itself may be just a bit stream value that has no meaning. However, if the identifier of domain is connected, it may have relative position information, and may serve as a locator of a node belonging to a specific domain. Thus, the present disclosure may use a value of this locator when border routers (domain gateway) of each domain perform a routing protocol operation between domains in the identifier/locator separation environment.

Referring toFIG. 1, a domain gateway201and a plurality of terminals101to103exist in a domain D1, and a domain gateway202and a plurality of terminals104to106exist in a domain D2. In this case, it is illustrated that a single domain gateway is provided for each domain, but a plurality of domains may be provided for a single domain. In addition, the plurality of terminals may include a wired terminal such as an internet terminal as well as a wireless terminal, and are not limited to the number shown inFIG. 1but may be arranged in various numbers.

Respective terminals101to106may have their own identifiers and locators as an end-host, the terminals101to103included in the domain D1may register their own identifiers and locators in a mapping system300via the domain gateway201in the domain D1, and the terminals104to106included in the domain D2may register their own identifiers and locators in the mapping system300via the domain gateway202in the domain D2.

The terminals101to106may be able to freely move between domains D1and D2, and may perform an update of the locator by sending a location confirmation message to the domain gateway in the domain of the current position. At this time, the domain gateways201and202may perform the update of the locator in association with the mapping system300.

For example, when the terminal104moves to the domain D1from the domain D2, or when the terminal104is turned on first in the domain D1, the terminal104may transmit a location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT) to the domain gateway201within the domain D1to notify that the terminal104is added to a corresponding domain. Thus, the domain gateway201may update the locator for the newly entered terminal104in association with the mapping system300and register the terminal104in a local host list of the domain gateway201.

In this case, the location confirmation message may include the identifier (the identifier of the terminal104) of the host that transmitted the location confirmation message, and the protocol address (the local domain address of the domain D1to which the terminal104belongs) in the domain of the host that transmitted the location confirmation message. At this time, the local domain address may become an IP address in the case of the IP domain, and may become an Ethernet address in the case of the Ethernet domain.

The mapping system300may be a system that manages the mapping of the identifier and the locator, and provide the locator mapped to an identifier value when the domain gateway201,202queries with the identifier value. That is, when receiving a locator update message (IDP_LOC_UPDATE) from the domain gateway201,202, the mapping system300may map and register a new locator to a corresponding identifier. At this time, the locator update message (IDP_LOC_UPDATE) may include an identifier of the host (terminal), and the locator of the domain.

FIG. 2is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a domain gateway201,202ofFIG. 1.

The domain gateway201,202may include a local host list210, a forwarding table220, a register230, a controller250, and a communication unit240.

The local host list210may be a list registering each terminal belonging to the domain managed by the domain gateway201,202.

The forwarding table220may have information of a reception interface of the next domain gateway201,202through which packet should pass in order to go to the identifier of a destination of the packet. In this case, the reception interface information may include next hop information: an external transmission interface, a protocol of the reception interface (e.g. IP, Ethernet . . . ), and an address (e.g. IPv4 address, Ethernet address, IPv6 address . . . ) assigned to the reception interface.

When receiving the location confirmation message from the terminal, the register230may perform the update of the locator in association with the mapping system300and register the terminal which transmitted the location confirmation message to the local host list210.

The communication unit240may perform a communication with the terminals within the domain, and the map system300, and may perform a wired or wireless communication.

When the controller250is requested to transmit packet from the terminal A101of the domain D1to the terminal C103, the controller250may determine whether a forwarding table entry for the terminal C103exists in the forwarding table220, and transmit the packet to the terminal C103based on the forwarding table entry, when the forwarding table entry for the terminal C103exists in the forwarding table220.

On the other hand, when the forwarding table entry for the terminal C103does not exist in the forwarding table220, the controller250may determine whether the identifier for the terminal C103is registered in the local host list210. Thereafter, when the identifier for the terminal C103is registered in the local host list210, the controller250may transmit a local resolve message (IDP_LOCAL_RESOLVE) to the terminal A101that requested the packet transmission, and may forward the packet received from the terminal A101to the terminal C103. At this time, the local resolve message may include an identifier (an identifier of terminal C103) of a destination end-host, a type of protocol (a local domain protocol of the domain D1to which the terminal C103belongs) specified to the domain to which the destination end-host belongs, and a protocol address value (a local domain address of the domain D1to which the terminal C103belongs) specified to the domain to which the destination end-host belongs.

FIG. 3is a detailed configuration of terminals101to106ofFIG. 1.

The terminals101to106may include a forwarding table110, a local domain protocol routing table120, a communication unit130, and a controller140.

The forwarding table110may be a table that stores information on a next hop through which packet should pass in order to go to the identifier of a destination of the packet from a current domain gateway. The next hop information is residual information except for a destination identifier in Table 1. That is, as shown in Table 1, the next hop information may include an external transmission interface, a protocol of the next hop domain gateway, and an address of the next hop domain gateway.

The local domain protocol routing table120may store information such as a network address of destination node, egress port information of a router, and a metrics for the calculation of optimum path.

The communication unit130may perform communication of a wireless terminal or a wired terminal.

The control unit140may determine whether a forwarding table entry for the destination identifier exists in the forwarding table110when desiring to transmit a packet, and transmit the packet to the domain gateway201,202when the forwarding table entry does not exist in the forwarding table110. When a forwarding table entry for the destination identifier exists in the forwarding table110, the control unit140may determine whether an external transmission interface of the forwarding table entry is set, and transmit the packet to the destination by using the information of the forwarding table entry when the external transmission interface is set. On the other hand, when the external transmission interface is not set, the external transmission interface may be set by referring to the local domain protocol routing table120of an intra-domain protocol.

Hereinafter, referring toFIG. 4, a method of communication between end-hosts in a local domain of an identifier/locator separation environment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail.

It is illustrated that the terminal A101that is a transmission terminal transmits packet to the terminal B102that is a reception terminal.

In this case, it is illustrated that the terminal A101is located in the local domain D1according to the domain gateway201and is already registered in the local host list of the domain gateway201, and the terminal B is not registered in the local host list of the domain gateway201of the local domain D1.

First, the terminal B102may transmit a location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT) to the domain gateway201within the local domain D1in order to update its own locator (S101). In this case, the location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT) is a message for requesting the update of the current position for the identifier of the terminal B to the domain gateway201, and includes the identifier of the terminal B102.

Thus, the domain gateway201may transmit a locator update message (IDP_LOC_UPDATE) to the mapping system300in order to map the locator of the current domain to the identifier of terminal B102(S102). At this time, the locator update message (IDP_LOC_UPDATE) may include the identifier and the locator of the terminal B102. Here, gateway information of the local domain may be automatically set when a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) method or the like boots.

Then, the domain gateway201may register the identifier of the terminal B102that transmitted the location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT) and the protocol address in the domain in which the terminal B102is located in the local host list (S103). At this time, the locator may include an IP address in the case of an IP domain as the local domain address, and may include an Ethernet address in the case of the Ethernet domain.

As described above in the process of S101to S103, after the terminal B102is registered in the domain gateway201, if the terminal A101requests the transmission of a packet to the terminal B102to the domain gateway201(S104), the domain gateway201may transmit the packet received from the terminal A101to the terminal B102.

Then, the domain gateway201may transmit a local resolve message (IDP_LOCAL_RESOLVE) to inform that the terminal B exists in the same local domain to the terminal A101(S106).

In this case, the domain gateway201may transmit the packet that has been transmitted to the domain gateway201before the terminal A101generates a forwarding table entry for the terminal B102to the terminal B102. To this end, the domain gateway201may also generate a temporary forwarding table entry.

Then, when receiving the local resolve message (IDP_LOCAL_RESOLVE), the terminal A101may determine that the terminal B102is located within the same local domain and may generate a forwarding table entry for the terminal B102(S107). At this time, the forwarding table entry may include path information to the terminal B102within the local domain D1.

Then, when transmitting the packet to the terminal B102, the terminal A101may immediately transmit the packet directly to the terminal B102according to the generated forwarding table entry (S108).

Hereinafter, the operation of the transmission terminal ofFIG. 4is described in detail with reference toFIG. 5.

It is determined whether a packet to be transmitted by the terminal A101that is a transmission terminal exists (S201). If the packet to be transmitted exists, the terminal A101may determine whether a forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) exists in the terminal A101(S202).

If the forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) does not exist, the terminal A101may transmit a corresponding packet to the domain gateway201(S203). Next process is described in detail in the operation description of the domain gateway201ofFIG. 6.

On the other hand, if the forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) exists, the terminal A101may determine whether an external transmission interface of a corresponding forwarding table entry is set (S204). At this time, the external transmission interface may be indicated as eth0, eth1, . . . and the like. For example, it means the external transmission interface that is included in next hop information of the forwarding table corresponding to the destination identifier (destination ID) included in the header of the packet received to eth0.

In this case, the next hop information refers to information of the next domain gateway to reach to go to a corresponding destination identifier. That is, the external transmission interface means an interface through which packets are transmitted to the next-hop domain gateway

When the external transmission interface of the forwarding table entry is not set, the terminal A101may set the external transmission interface with reference to the local domain protocol routing table120(S205).

The terminal A101may transmit the packet to the terminal B102by using the information of the forwarding table entry in which the external transmission interface is set (S206).

Hereinafter, the operation of the domain gateway ofFIG. 4is described in detail with reference to FIG.6.

When receiving a packet from the terminal A101(S301), the domain gateway201may determine whether the received packet is a location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT) (S302).

When the received packet is a location confirmation message, the domain gateway201may transmit a locator update message (IDP_LOC_UPDATE) to the mapping system300in order to update a locator (S303).

Then, the domain gateway201may register the terminal A101in its own local host list (S304).

On the other hand, when the received packet is not a location confirmation message (IDP_PRESENT), the domain gateway201may determine whether a forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) exits (S305).

When the forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) exits, the domain gateway201may transmit the packet to the terminal B102which is a destination according to the forwarding table entry (S306).

On the other hand, when the forwarding table entry for the destination identifier (terminal B) does not exit, the domain gateway201may determine whether the destination identifier exists in the local host list (S307).

When the destination identifier does not exist in the local host list, the domain gateway201may perform a process of setting a path between external domains. Since the process of setting a path between external domains means a conventional normal path setting process, a detailed description is omitted in the present disclosure.

On the other hand, when the destination identifier exists in the local host list, the domain gateway201may transmit a local resolve message (IDP_LOCAL_RESOLVE) to inform that the terminal B102that is a destination identifier exists in the same local domain to the terminal A101(S309).

Then, the domain gateway201may transmit the packet to the terminal B102that is a destination identifier by using a local protocol address mapped to the destination identifier (S310).

As described above, the present disclosure may enable a communication between end-hosts belonging to the same local domain in an identifier/locator separation environment.