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Discussion on Information Service



Hello All,

after taking part in couple of telcons, I feel that there is a 
strong need to raise a disucussion on the .21 Information Service.
In particular I feel that there is an urgent need to fix the basic
information set at this point before proceeding to different
standardisation bodies.

As a starting point, I am just putting couple of basic points 
together to have a common understanding in discussion.
I would be happy to see your comments/opinions/ideas/suggestions
to reach a common consensus on this matter.

with best regards,
Kalyan Koora

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|                Discussion on Information Service                | 
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I.   What is 802.21 MIH scope?
II.  Handover of what?
III. Present Handover mechanisms
IV.  How to continue?

I. What is 802.21 MIH scope?

   - provide generic link layer intelligence and other network 
     related info to upper layers to optimize handovers between 
     heterogeneous media

   - enhance and/or support handovers between heterogeneous 
     media

   - maximize service continuity

II. Handover of what?

  - A session / an application running over a media to other media

  - session/service continuity is desired

  If we are speaking about a "session", then we mean 
  "running application".

  If we are speaking about "handover of a running session" from 
  one to other media, it is a "must" that the minimum requirements 
  of the session are available at the other media.

III. Present Handover mechanisms
   Present well known handover mechanisms (like MIP):
   - select one media for all sessions
   - do not do load-balancing
   - neither care about application needs nor take care of
     user or network preferences dynamically
 
  The evolving mechanisms are aiming to enable this.
  To assist these intelligent handover mechanis (what 802.21 is
  aiming at), it is important to have following information 
  as early as possible:

  1. what applications are running on the terminal or what
     sessions are build up
  2. If a new session/application is started, what are its needs
  3. what medias are present in the terminal and what are their
     capabilities
  4. what are the reachable networks in the vicinity and
     what are their capabilities.
  5. what application support is provided by the networks
  6. Last but most, what are the user and operator preferences.

  If these points are agreed, then comes the question:
  Taking the above mentioned points into consideration, if 802.21 
  likes to enhance the handover mechanisms, what is the 
  information envisaged by the .21?

IV. How to continue:  
   
   To refine/enhance/modify I feel, there is an urgent need to
   take a look at the IS, in particular the basic set.

   What is needed?

   - shall we define a unique basic set for all standards, to be
     media independent?
   
   - shall we take the existing basic set, think of scenarios
     where this is needed and put them as essential and remove
     the things which are not needed?

   - shall we define completely new set for each and every standard
     just like independent SAPs?
   
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