We present a novel approach to building and deploying network protocols. The approach is based on mobile code, demand loading, and caching techniques. The architecture of our system allows new protocols to be dynamically deployed a t b oth routers and end systems, without the need f o r c oordination and without unwanted interaction between co-existing protocols. In this paper, we describe our architecture and its realization in a prototype implementation. To demonstrate how to exploit our architecture, we present two simple protocols that operate within our prototype to introduce multicast and mobility services into a network that initially lacks them.
Active networks allow their users to inject customized programs into the nodes of the network. An extreme case, in which we are most interested, replaces packets with "capsules" - program fragments that are executed at each network router/switch they traverse.Active architectures permit a massive increase in the sophistication of the computation that is performed within the network. They will enable new applications, especially those based on application-specific multicast, information fusion, and other services that leverage network-based computation and storage. Furthermore, they will accelerate the pace of innovation by decoupling network services from the underlying hardware and allowing new services to be loaded into the infrastructure on demand.In this paper, we describe our vision of an active network architecture, outline our approach to its design, and survey the technologies that can be brought to bear on its implementation. We propose that the research community mount a joint effort to develop and deploy a wide area ActiveNet.
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