PPT Slide
[12 pts] Explain how IP solves the problems of heterogeneity and scale, and what design tradeoffs does it make in the process. Why is the IP solution better than that provided by bridges ?
Scale: IP provides a new address space with addressing structure and forwarding procedures to distinguish between direct and indirect connected nodes. The two-level forwarding algorithm is supported by scalable routing infrastructure that enables better filtering at the network level leading to scalability.
Heterogeneity: IP is a minimal overlay protocol and with a new address space and packet format and which is mapped to/from lower layer protocols. The minimalism allows simple mapping to a variety of lower layer technologies. Similarly, it provides a minimal (best-effort) interface to the higher layer protocols. The mapping of addresses requires a protocol ARP, and the mapping of the packet format requires fragmentation/reassembly support in IP.
The design tradeoffs are are follows:
- The addressing structure leads to address allocation and address space management problems.