Dynamic foreign agent-home agent security association allocation for IP mobility systems

摘要

The present invention utilizes the AAA infrastructure to dynamically allocate the various parameters needed to establish the security association between the Foreign Agent and the Home Agent. The present invention uses the AAA server as a central entity to dynamically generate and distribute the chosen security association parameters needed to support the Foreign Agent and Home Agent security association based on a request from the Foreign Agent. The AAA server can also dynamically assigns a unique SPI value to the Foreign Agent and Home Agent pairs. The various parameters that can be allocated in the present invention include a FA-HA shared secret key or a public/private key pair, an authentication algorithm and mode, a FA-HA secret key lifetime, and security parameter index or security index values. The present invention also can assist in making sure that the Foreign Agent and the Home Agent stay synchronized with respect to their security association.