What is Flat IP?
Flat IP is a modern way to identify the devices in network with help of some symbolic means. It method creates an interesting system for all mobile broadband networks but it architecture is same as other normal IP addresses. This system analyzes the network architecture evolution in response to rapidly growing data traffic and the planned introduction of Long Term Evolution. Flat IP uses specialized transport protocols the make the design little complex but no one cares for this issue and future networks are adopting this triple play IP service.
Flat IP Architecture:
Few years ago broadband networks were very easy and simple on basis of their architecture. Its base station, links to access service network, or ASN, gateways, from which IP traffic disappears into the Internet cloud. Almost all global networks were using this architecture where traffic from base station makes a single hop to a service architecture evolution, or SAE, gateway before hitting its first IP router. But today when telecom industry can’t depend on new acronyms only, they started removing them from their networks. The new thing that they adopted for their next generation mobile networks is Flat IP which runs entirely via IP and collapses the complexity of a mobile network into the base station and a single core gateway.
Here data does not move in a hierarchy from multiple layers to the central core and then back to layers to reach the end user. Instead, the flat core routers of the originating user routes data directly to the local flat core router of the target user. This requires direct connections, or failing that requires shortest path connections between flat core routers.This technology is widely adopted because implementing this technology is inexpensive, fast and very flexible.
Flat IP architecture analyzes data from network operators and technology suppliers to determine how continued growth of data traffic volumes will affect mobile network performance. Then wireless network radio transmission technology and over-the-air data rates are determined which end user will receive. To control these two factors radio controllers, packet gateways, transmission, and the IP core are considered. The end result of these efforts is traffic volumes that are unsustainable over mobile voice and low-speed data.
Benefits of flat IP:
- Section I:this technology help in reducing the elements working in a network to move data from one end to another. This also lower the operations cost and total expenditures.
- Section II: this technology minimizes system latency and enables applications with a lower tolerance for delay.
- Section III: with this technology the upcoming latency enhancements on the radio link can also be fully realized.
- Section IV:it has created a platform for all mobile broadband operators
- Section V: today mobile broadband operators are competitive on basis of price/performance.
- Section VI:it reduce the charges of delivering the service from the volume of data transmitted to align infrastructure capabilities with emerging application requirements.
- Section VII:it has evolved radio access and packet core networks which are independent or each other as compared to earlier networks
- Section VIII:now network planning and development is flexible for all operators
- Section IX:a flexible core network has been developed for both mobile and generic IP access networks
- Section X: this network serves on basis of service innovation.
Problems associated with Flat IP:
Flat IP is although beneficial for network operators but it is not serving best to mobile developers. Its little complex architecture has raised security challenges for developers and they are complaining about over engineered structure developed. Some other says that it requires a very solid, very secure hardware platform. Therefore it is important to resolve all these issues to make it best for next generation mobile networks.