NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20020080269: Continuously Connected With Mobile IP

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by  NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Continuously Connected With Mobile IP
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ith cellular phones, laptops, and According to William D. Ivancic, a senior
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F personal digital assistants (PDAs) research engineer at Glenn, “Cisco’s Mobile
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N more popular than ever, wireless Networks technology enables formation-flying
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—S service providers are racing to keep up with craft to correlate information and talk with
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FIT customers’ needs. Being able to access informa- each other, even as they move across different
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N tion on the Internet from a home or office systems.” Glenn jointly tested the technology
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L computer alone is no longer sufficient, as with Cisco, and is working to use it on low-
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CI more and more people are depending upon earth-orbiting research craft. NASA may also
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M Internet Protocol (IP) devices in laptops and utilize the technology for near-planetary observa-
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CO PDAs to stay connected. While cellular tion and sensing spacecraft. Ivancic explains,
phones have built-in technology that picks “For our work, the continuous connectivity
up and carries the phone’s signal as it moves is key. Additionally, Cisco’s solution does
from one coverage area to another, IP devices not require special software, equipment, or
have not been as fortunate. In response to anything unique behind the router; any
this, Cisco Systems of San Jose, California, device that runs IP will work. This provides
worked with NASA’s Glenn Research Center unprecedented flexibility.”
to make IP devices as mobile as their With Cisco’s Mobile Networks functionality
cellular counterparts. now available in Cisco IOS Software release
When a computer or device communicates 12.2(4)T, the commercial advantages and
over the Internet, it has an assigned IP address benefits are numerous. The technology can be
which uniquely identifies it from other devices applied to markets such as public safety,
linked to the Internet. IP routing is based on military/homeland security, emergency manage-
stationary IP addresses, similar to the way that ment services, railroad and shipping systems,
postal deliveries are made to a fixed address and the automotive industry. The technology
on an envelope. However, if a device roams will also allow ambulances, police, firemen, and
away from its home network and is no longer the U.S. Coast Guard to stay connected to
reachable using normal IP routing, its active their networks while on the move. The real-
session is terminated. Cisco developed Cisco time connectivity to hospitals may help to save
Mobile Networks in its internetwork operating countless lives. In the wireless battlefield, the
system software (Cisco IOS® Software) to technology will provide rapid infrastructure
solve this problem. With this innovation, a deployment for U.S. national defense. For those
Cisco router and its connected IP devices seeking convenience, airline passengers utilizing
can roam across network boundaries and Cisco Mobile Networks can fly all around the
connection types. Because a mobile user is world with a continuous Internet connection.
able to keep the same IP address while The same holds true for train and cruise
roaming, a live IP connection can be main- passengers. With continuous connectivity,
tained without interruption. everyone benefits. ❖
Cisco IOS® Software is a registered
trademark of Cisco Systems.
Cisco Mobile Networks allows a Cisco
router and its connected IP devices to
roam across network boundaries and
connection types while maintaining a live
IP connection without interruption.
120 COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY