Management for IP-based Applications
Mike Fisher
BTexaCT
Research
mike.fisher@bt.com
Introduction
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Future networks and applications
Active Networks
Management Problems
Active Management
Evolution of the Internet
• Demand for new applications/ customisation
• Infrastructure can’t keep pace with application
explosion
• Multimedia
– need for QoS, correlated flows, multipoint
• Control of end-to-end application performance
• Flexible infrastructure and adaptable management
Multi-owner Network
Administrator 3
Administrator 2
Public
Network
Policies
(SLAs)
Administrator 1
User
?
Programmable Networks
• computation in the network, not just routing
• users can introduce programs
– delegate control and responsibility
– improved resilience to change
– … increased risks from sharing control
Active Network Technology
• Dynamically update software on network element
to change node behaviour
• Users/Operators/Value-Added Service Providers
create new services to run on active nodes
• Active nodes include routers, proxies, firewalls etc
• Two categories:
– capsule-based approach - packets may contain both data
and active code to be executed at node
– discrete approach - active code downloaded out-of-band
from code libraries/caches
Locating Active Programmability
Core network
devices
Host
Border devices
Edge devices
P1520 reference model
Architectural Requirements
• Divide programmability
• Active Router
– OSI layer-3 functions
– embedded scripts or programs, from trusted sources
– low memory and computational power
• Active Server
– application layer active networking
– many specialised nodes
• transcoding node requires efficient maths operations
• node supporting active caching require high-performance I/O
Active Architecture
transfirewall
coder
Active Server
smart
cache
active
email
Active Server
PC
Active
Router
Active
Router
PC
Active Application
Code Server
Normal Router
Active Virtual Network
virtual space
normal link
active server
router
active router
virtual network link
client
Management problems
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High percentage of IP VPN costs
New features (e.g. multicast, QoS) do not get added
Changing MIBs is extremely difficult
Centralised control model limits scaling
Inefficient information flows
Manual intervention
• Made worse by demands of new applications
A solution?
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Minimise operator intervention
Enable flexible addition of features
Support diverse information models
Use high-level policy-based interfaces
Distribute and delegate
Give responsibility to customers
• Active Management System
Active Management
• No central point of control
• Autonomous decision making based on policies
and local knowledge
• Dynamically introduce
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new active server types
new policy sets
new mechanisms for policy storage and retrieval
new algorithms for policy decisions and enforcement
Active Management
• Hierarchical
• Autonomous
Admins
Management agent
Autonomous controller
Users
EEP
Proxylets
Summary
• Flexibility in services demands an active approach
• Two levels of programmability
– active server
– active router
• Approach to management
– programmable infrastructure
– delegate application management
• Policy-based active management required