Sketch-based Entropy Estimation for Network Traffic Analysis using Programmable Data Plane ASICs

A Hybrid SDN Switch Based on Standard P4 Code

“…Unfortunately, being non-standard extensions of the language, a widespread adoption of extern-based solutions is not achievable. This paper shows how hybrid SDN devices implemented in fully-portable P4 code can be designed, by using P4 standard registers as temporary-indexed data structures [13], [14] to store the forwarding information obtained by the P4 data plane while processing packets, without the intervention of the control plane. Hence, the use of P4 standard registers is the key for enabling P4 code portability, since it makes it possible to overcome the main limitation of non-standard P4 externs.…”