Online Reprogrammable Multi Tenant Switches

Abstract

Recent research shows many bene ts for cloud workloads and network operations when putting software functionality onto switches. Sharing the physical resources of a programmable switch between multiple tenants and workloads enables the widespread deployment of on-switch software functionality. Currently, changing the program on a programmable switch incurs signi cant switch downtime, connectivity loss, and service interruption. We, therefore propose a modi cation to the common programmable switch architecture to enable hot-pluggability, the ability to insert, modify, and remove on-path software functionality without interrupting the network operation. With hot-pluggability, a programmable switch can be shared between applications of di erent on-switch lifetime and therefore also between di erent tenants. Such sharing requires performance and program isolation between di erent on-switch functions and tenants. Our proposal makes on-switch software functionality deployable within production networks and enables programmable switches to be o ered as a service to multiple tenants within cloud and ISP networks. CCS CONCEPTS• Networks → Programmable networks; In-network processing; • Hardware → Networking hardware; • Security and privacy → Systems security.

Towards Executing Computer Vision Functionality on Programmable Network Devices

“…We thus plan to investigate whether it is possible to share data between packets that are processed in the pipeline such that the convolutions can also be calculated across packet borders. Furthermore, given its usage of recirculation and potentially sparse global and metadata memory, we plan to evaluate the impact of our filter on co-located [15] in-network functions.…”

An Exhaustive Survey on P4 Programmable Data Plane Switches: Taxonomy, Applications, Challenges, and Future Trends

“…However, there is no doubt that in today's networks, operators often require multiple network functions to run simultaneously on a single physical switch. A challenge that operators face when changing data plane programs is the connectivity loss and the service downtime/interruption [383]. Cloud providers are now aiming to offer on-switch network functions as services to a diverse set of cloud customers.…”

A Terabit Hybrid FPGA-ASIC Platform for Switch Virtualization

“…Their motivations for programmable virtual forwarding elements are manifold. For example, with the roll-out of 5G and the need for multi-terabit bandwidth in backbone networks [23], [24], telecommunication companies interested in providing 5G coverage to its users may avoid significant capital expenditure with the installation of radio-base stations and equipment purchase by leasing them from an infrastructure provider [20]. In this case, the infrastructure provider may create virtual instances of programmable forwarding elements to its customers.…”

“…To realize the full potential of virtualization for programmable forwarding planes and establish a novel class of XaaS called programmable switches-as-a-service [20], the research community has been addressing several challenges in the path of a fully-fledged virtualization solution. In prior investigations, researchers have devised solutions to (i) accommodate various instances of virtual switches within a single physical programmable switch hardware, either using switch emulation or switch program composition [17]- [19], (ii) enable virtual switch isolation and hot-swapping of virtual switch instances [21], and (iii) provide proper abstractions of management channels for tenant-independent switch operation [25].…”