Configurable software-based edge router architecture

Abstract

This paper explores the use of open programmable edge router technologies to achieve dynamic configuration, adaptation and management of networks and provide support for short range wireless technologies such as WPANs. The paper focuses on software based solutions relying on the Click framework to design the edge routers on standard PCs and operating systems in an open source and software context_ Results on achievable performance using these software based solutions and Click are reported. The impact on traffic flows and applications in terms of packet losses and delays is evaluated.E dge routers are expected to play a major role in next generation networks as they will partake in the control of most connections, sessions, QoS, security and mobility management functions. Moreover, to ensure the convergence of mobile and fixed technologies, intemetworking and cooperation will mostly be achieved at the edges while fast forwarding will ensure rapidity and simplicity in core network routers. Unfortunately, most existing routers have static architectures with networking functions rigidly implemented by vendors. A major challenge is to increase the fl exibility and adaptability of routers while at the same time offering higher packet forwarding performance. There are basically three major router architectures [1]: software based routers, Application Specifi c Integrated Circuit (ASIC) based routers and network processor based routers [2]. According to [1], network processor based routers are the optimal building block for next generation networks (NON) as they provide the speed of ASIC-based routers and the flexibility of software-based routers. Both of ASIC-based and NP-based routers are based on the control and data planes separation principle [3]. Recently, many extensible frameworks have been proposed to improve software-based router development [4-7]. In [8] and [9], Click SMP is proposed as a modular language to ease the design and development of software based routers. The objective in this paper is to assess the feasibility and viability of software based solutions to design open programma ble routers that not only exhibit high flexibility but also acceptable performance. This is achieved by introducing some of the advantages and paradigms of the network processor based routers into the software based technologies. We get our inspiration from the mTF ForCES (Forwarding and Control Element Separation) [10] working group which defines a set of standard mechanisms to separate the control and forwarding planes for NON programma ble networks. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of an extensible, scalable and programma ble software-based edge router architecture in which the data plane functionality of the router can be adapted and extended dynamically through the use of the Click SMP modular language. The goals of the proposed model are to achieve : • extensibility: through new API services that can be dynamically added at run time, • flexibility: using basic control and data plane buildi...

Network Programmability With ForCES

“…Apart from implementations from working group members, additional work in the ForCES space has been done in the Drop architecture [52], the Configurable software-based edge router architecture [53], the Generic Forwarding Element approach [54] and SoftRouter architecture [55]. Drop is a distributed software router project, from the University of Genoa.…”

Scheduling model and performance analysis in transport mapping layer of control element in forwarding and control element separation system

“…Let t ! 1, then we obtain the average backlog bound (14). According Little's Law, E[W] = E[B]/r, we can easily obtain the average delay bound (15).…”

“…But they use the private specification to provide an integrated network services in FE model . DHCR project in Communication Institute of French developed ForCES router software architecture that was based on software component technology to achieve the dynamic deployment of network services, and used Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) middleware technology to support internal communication in the DHCR. In Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, M. Hidell , implemented a router that is also based on ForCES architecture.…”

An XML-based configuration management architecture for IP routers

“…The Netconf server is responsible for receiving the Netconf requests and generating the corresponding responses. The said interface is used for inserting, removing, or modifying the router configuration parameters at run time according to the XML configuration files [8]. …”