Service deployment on high performance active network nodes

Abstract

In order to realize service deployment on high-performance active nodes, the problem of installing and configuring software components in complex, heterogeneous node environments must be addressed. The paper presents our approach to this problem, called Chameleon, which includes two main aspects. First, the service model we propose is based on service components with two interfaces--a data flow interface for programming packet flows and a control interface for programming the control plane. Second, the service specification is kept independent of any particular node architecture. During the service deployment phase, the service specification is resolved on each node offering the service and is driven by node-specific parameters. The result of this resolution is a tree of service components, which can differ among different types of nodes. Our solution allows a service to take full advantage of specific node features, such as those related to performance or security. The design is illustrated using an active adaptable reliable multicast service.