Accelerating Code Deployment on Active Networks

Abstract

Active networks enable their users to specify how each packet is processed on network nodes. One of the essential techniques for active networks is the programmable node approach, which enables network nodes to evolve their packet processing functions by loading new software components into the nodes. Possible component loading strategies include demand loading. It reduces the usage of node resources and localizes possible problems, although the component loading time defers packet processing. This paper discusses the component loading time of the demand loading strategy, and proposes a scheme to shorten the loading time by masking the propagation delay of components. We have implemented the scheme pre-supplying on a Java-based system and have evaluated its effectiveness. The result shows that the proposed scheme shortens the loading time of a test component by as much as 70%.