Active Networking at Washington Univ.

1
Active Networking at Washington Univ.

• Project Goal
• Design and
• Implement a Prototype of a
• Scalable, Active Networking Platform
• supporting Traffic at
• Gigabit Rates
• John DeHart
• Washington University in St. Louis

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Goals

• Building a High Performance Active Network
  Platform consisting of
• Scalable Hardware Platform
• Distributed Code Caching
• Streamlined Software Platform
• Applications
• Automatic Network Protocol Deployment / Revision
• Large-Scale reliable multicast
• Congestion control for real-time video and audio
• High-performance media gateways for real-time
  multicast audio/video sessions

3
Status ANPE Hardware

Active Network Processing Element (ANPE)
Pentium CPU gt 32 MB APIC 1.2 Gbit/s (Out for
Fab) Experimental FPGA added to data
path Development System has been built and is
being tested. Problems with the embedded
system programming environment have been
uncovered and are being pursued with the vendor.
FIXED
4
Status ANPE Software

• Modules and APIs all defined
• Implementation has begun

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ANPE Software Using ABone
Device Driver detects IP Packet and passes it to
IP stack via Packet Classifier
IP performs routing function and sends packet out
via Packet Scheduler
ANTS Capsule executes and sends the capsule out
via IP
Gate in IP Processing detects ANEP/ANTS Header
and passes packet to anetd
Anetd detects ANTS identifier and passes packet
on to ANTS
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EOY 98 Pre-Prototype
Incoming Packet with a SAPF Identifier is
detected in Device Driver and passed to Selector
Dispatcher.
Plugin Instance processes packet and passes
resulting packet to output via Packet Scheduler
Next Step Add Selector Dispatcher
Selector Dispatcher passes it directly to
previously created Plugin Instance
User Space
Kernel Space
Code Server sends Plugin to Plugin Requester
Active Plugin Loader installs Plugin Class in
Plugin Control Unit and informs AFD that it has
been loaded
AFD creates Plugin instance from Class
Gate in IP Processing detects DAN flow Packet
Plugin Requester sends Plugin to Active Plugin
Loader
Active Plugin Loader sends request for new Plugin
to Plugin Requester
AFD passes packet to Plugin Instance
Administrator tells DAN Plugin Mgmt where to
find Code Server
Active Plugin Loader passes code server
configuration command to Plugin Requester
Plugin Instance processes packet and passes
resulting packet to output via Packet Scheduler
Plugin Requester sends request for new Plugin to
Code Server
AFD processes Packet and determines what Plugins
are needed
AFD requests needed Plugin from Active Plugin
Loader
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EOY 98 Pre-Prototype
User Space
Kernel Space