A Context Transfer Model for Secure Handover in WiMAX/LTE Integrated Networks

Abstract

One of the recent research issues in IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) based heterogeneous internetworking environment is to provide secure handover when a mobile node (MN) moves between different access networks. Various security schemes are available in literature but most of the schemes provide security but degrades the Quality of Service (QoS). The objective of this work is to provide secure and efficient handover in an IMS based Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave access (WiMAX)/ Long Term Evolution (LTE) integrated networks by using the proposed Secure Context Transfer Model (SCTM). New Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages are introduced in the proposed SCTM for transferring the context securely from old Proxy-Call session control function (P-CSCF) server to new P-CSCF server during handover. SCTM is verified using NS-2 simulator and analyzed based on Queuing theory. The results show that when compared with previous approaches, SCTM shows an improvement of 23% in terms of handover delay and packet loss providing security and guaranteed QoS to mobile users.