Seamless Handoff Management in IEEE 802.11 Networks Using SDN

Abstract

The implementation of IEEE 802.11 wireless networks has grown notably in recent years. Handoff management in wireless networks, i.e., transferring an active data session from one cell defined by an access point to another, is a critical function. In IEEE 802.11 networks, this function interrupts mobile users' connection to the network, ultimately resulting in service disruption. Currently, the Software Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm presents innovations and abstractions in the network architecture that can improve network management in wireless networks. SDN, through Light Virtual Access Point abstraction, enables the network to take control of the handoff process in IEEE 802.11 without network disconnection (seamless handoff) which is not possible in IEEE 802.11 traditional networks. In this paper, we show through experimentation over real network devices that SDN enables to perform the seamless handoff process in IEEE 802.11 without modification to the end user' s mobile station and completely controlled by the network. We show that it is possible to reduce the handoff delay from one second or more in traditional networks to milliseconds in SDN networks by means of the LVAP abstraction.