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2.6 Reference Network Architecture (Cont)
Figure 2.3
IP-Based WiMAX Network Architecture
The network reference model developed by the WiMAX Forum NWG defines a number of functional entities and interfaces between those entities. (The interfaces are referred to as reference points.) Figure 2.3 shows some of the more important functional entities.
Base station (BS): The BS is responsible for providing the air interface to the MS. Additional functions that may be part of the BS are micromobility management functions, such as handoff triggering and tunnel establishment, radio resource management, QoS policy enforcement, traffic classification, DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) proxy, key management, session management, and multicast group management.
Access service network gateway (ASN-GW): The ASN gateway typically acts as a layer 2 traffic aggregation point within an ASN. Additional functions that may be part of the ASN gateway include intra-ASN location management and paging, radio resource management and admission control, caching of subscriber profiles and encryption keys, AAA client functionality, establishment and management of mobility tunnel with base stations, QoS and policy enforcement, foreign agent functionality for mobile IP, and routing to the selected CSN.
Connectivity service network (CSN): The CSN provides connectivity to the Internet, ASP, other public networks, and corporate networks. The CSN is owned by the NSP and includes AAA servers that support authentication for the devices, users, and specific services. The CSN also provides per user policy management of QoS and security. The CSN is also responsible for IP address management, support for roaming between different NSPs, location management between ASNs, and mobility and roaming between ASNs. Further, CSN can also provide gateways and interworking with other networks, such as PSTN (public switched telephone network), 3GPP, and 3GPP2.
The WiMAX architecture framework allows for the flexible decomposition and/or combination of functional entities when building the physical entities. For example, the ASN may be decomposed into base station transceivers (BST), base station controllers (BSC), and an ASN-GW analogous to the GSM model of BTS, BSC, and Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN). It is also possible to collapse the BS and ASN-GW into a single unit, which could be thought of as a WiMAX router. Such a design is often referred to as a distributed, or flat, architecture. By not mandating a single physical ASN or CSN topology, the reference architecture allows for vendor/operator differentiation.
In addition to functional entities, the reference architecture defines interfaces, called reference points, between function entities. The interfaces carry control and management protocols— mostly IETF-developed network and transport-layer protocols—in support of several functions, such as mobility, security, and QoS, in addition to bearer data. Figure 2.4 shows an example.
Figure 2.4
Functions performed across reference points
The WiMAX network reference model defines reference points between: (1) MS and the ASN, called R1, which in addition to the air interface includes protocols in the management plane, (2) MS and CSN, called R2, which provides authentication, service authorization, IP configuration, and mobility management, (3) ASN and CSN, called R3, to support policy enforcement and mobility management, (4) ASN and ASN, called R4, to support inter-ASN mobility, (5) CSN and CSN, called R5, to support roaming across multiple NSPs, (6) BS and ASN-GW, called R6, which consists of intra-ASN bearer paths and IP tunnels for mobility events, and (7) BS to BS, called R7, to facilitate fast, seamless handover.
A more detailed description of the WiMAX network architecture is provided in Chapter 10.
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