ANTS Goals

1
ANTS Goals

• Todays networks lack flexibility
• Active networks are an appealing solution, but no
  convincing demonstration that they can work

Seek to allow new network services to be
introduced rapidly.
Evaluate the hypothesis that they can provide
useful flexibility at a reasonable
security/performance cost.
2
ANTS Architecture

• Approach
• uncoordinated introduction, automatic deployment
• application-specific protocols used on-the-fly
• Model
• programmable routers generalize IP forwarding
• mobile code used to implement new services
• Goal
• show feasibility/usefulness, explore tradeoffs

3
ANTS Glossary

• Node
• programmable router that implements services
• Capsule
• generalized packet (header data program)
• different capsule types have different programs
• Protocol
• communication rules that provide a service
• codified as set of related capsule types
• Application
• network client that uses services via protocols

4
Capsules are Generalized Packets
ProtocolProgram Id
Data
Header
Node
Node
Capsule

• carry the program and protocol by reference using
  a fingerprint to prevent code spoofing
• header includes at least fields for default
  forwarding, resource limits and source
  identification

5
Node Operating System

• hosts user-defined protocols
• capsule API soft-storage, routing,
• admits new protocols at its discretion
• protects network/protocol integrity
• executes untrusted code, limits resource use
• provides each protocol with its network view
• distributes code among nodes

6
Code is Loaded at Routers
need to be efficient, adaptive, and load-limited
previous node
loading node
load request
time
load response

• application provides code at end systems, while
  node loading is triggered by capsules