Routing manager hierarchy

An IP-based network system comprising:

• a plurality of routers and a plurality of servers, including a home routing manager (HRM) and local routing managers (LRMs) for individual mobile nodes, wherein each of the LRMs comprises:
• an LRM network interface unit for sending a first query about a routing address of a destination mobile node toward the HRM, based on an activation notification (AN) from an ingress access router (AR) of the plurality of routers, the AR being triggered by a source mobile node, and the HRM comprising means for sending the routing address of the destination mobile node back to the ingress access router in response to the first query, wherein
• one of the plurality of servers acts as an intermediate routing manager, said intermediate routing manager comprising:
• the intermediate routing manager network interface unit relaying the first query toward the HRM;
• the intermediate routing manager network interface unit relaying the routing address of the destination node toward the ingress access router;
• the intermediate routing manager network interface unit relaying a second query, originated from an LRM which performs mobility management on an egress access router, having the routing address, about a home address of the source mobile node toward all LRM advertising a routing address of the source mobile node without passing through the HRM unless the home address of the source mobile node has been reported to the HRM;
• and
• the intermediate routing manager network interface unit relaying the home address of the source mobile node, as a response to the second query, originated from the LRM advertising the routing address of the source mobile node, toward the egress access router.

In an IP-based network system, a server comprising:

• a network interface unit for relaying a query about a routing address of a destination mobile node originated from an activation notification, and from an ingress access router (AR) in the network system toward a home routing manager (HRM);
• the network interface unit for relaying the routing address of the destination node toward the ingress access router as a response to the query;
• the network interface unit for relaying a second query originating from a local routing manager (LRM) which performs mobility management on an egress access router (AR), having the routing address, about a home address of a source mobile node toward a local routing manager (LRM) advertising a routing address of the source mobile node without passing through the HRM unless the home address of the source mobile node has been reported to the HRM;
• and
• the network interface unit for relaying the home address of the source mobile node, as a response to the second query, originated from the LRM advertising the routing address of the source mobile node, toward the egress access router.