PromethOS: A Dynamically Extensible Router Architecture Supporting Explicit Routing

Abstract. The OKE Corral is an active network environment which allows third-party active code to configure an active node's code organisation at any level, including the kernel. Using the safety properties of an open kernel environment and a simple 'Click-like' software model, third parties are able to load native code anywhere in the processing hierarchy and connect it to existing components at runtime.

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

The OKE Corral: Code Organisation and Reconfiguration at Runtime Using Active Linking

Bos

Samwel

2002

“…Active networks research over the last decade has led to new developments in a number of areas ranging from secure programming languages [1,2], mobile code techniques [3], execution environments [3,4], active node platforms [5,6,7,8,9], service composition models [9,10,11], and so forth. Despite these valuable advances, the number of genuine applications where active network technologies are provably useful in real world networks is still limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Link Measurements Using Active Components

Pezaros

Sifalakis

Schmid³

et al. 2007

Abstract. Active and programmable network technologies strive to support completely new forms of data-path processing capabilities inside the network. This in conjunction with the ability to dynamically deploy such active services at strategic locations inside the network enables totally new types of applications. In this paper we exploit these network-side programming capabilities to realise a new active network application that dynamically evaluates network link costs based on in-line traffic measurements. The performance experienced by the data packets (e.g. delays, jitter and packet loss) along network or virtual links is used to compute link costs based on multiple cost metrics. The results are published by means of a routing metric broker, which enables available routing protocols to calculate different sets of routes for different QoS metrics -as for example suggested for ToS-based routing (RFC 1583).

“…Unlike several existing platforms that require developing kernel modules or plugins [13,14], we place custom processing in the user space. Other platforms such as ALAN [8] or AS1 [1] have adopted a similar goal, but they provide support for active services working mostly at the application layer.…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although there are several platforms for adding programmability to a network node, usually they are programmed in a full-fledged programming language such as Java [8,18], C [5,21], or TCL [1]. Moreover, many platforms require kernel modules or plugins to be developed [13,14], which can be done by experts, but it is too tedious for most of users. With GateScript we want to offer a simple scripting language for expressing custom processing of packets at different protocol layers without the need for interpretation of complex protocol data structures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

GateScript: A Scripting Language for Generic Active Gateways

Nguyen¹,

Duda²

Abstract. In this paper, we present GateScript, a scripting language for active applications to be executed on generic active gateways. Unlike other active networking platforms, it offers a simple scripting language for expressing custom processing of packets at different protocol layers without the need for interpretation of complex protocol data structures. In this way, the user writes statements in a script-like language while using protocol-specific variables and predefined function calls acting on the packet's content. From a textual description, we automatically create a packet parser and reassembler for a given protocol. The parser decomposes PDUs arriving in an active application into protocol variables that can be used in the script language. After processing, outcoming packets are reconstructed from the protocol variables. GateScript also enables active applications to react to the state of the environment: they can receive events from monitors and test variables reflecting the state of the environment.We have designed an architecture for a generic active gateway (GAG) that supports GateScript. An active application can dynamically install/remove a packet filter that intercepts relevant packets and passes them to the application. We have implemented GAG on Linux: its packet forwarding part is implemented in the kernel and all other components as user space processes.