Languages for software-defined networks

Modern computer networks perform a bewildering array of tasks, from routing and traffic monitoring, to access control and server load balancing. However, managing these networks is unnecessarily complicated and error-prone, due to a heterogeneous mix of devices (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE communications magazine 2013-02, Vol.51 (2), p.128-134
Main Authors: Foster, Nate, Schlesinger, Cole, Walker, David, Harrison, Robert, Guha, Arjun, Reitblatt, Mark, Story, Alec, Freedman, Michael J., Katta, Naga Praveen, Monsanto, Christopher, Reich, Joshua, Rexford, Jennifer
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Computer networks
Computer programming
Control systems
Devices
IP networks
Languages
Monitoring
Policies
Ports (Computers)
Repeaters
Runtime
Software
Software radio
Switches
Traffic engineering
Traffic flow
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Summary:Modern computer networks perform a bewildering array of tasks, from routing and traffic monitoring, to access control and server load balancing. However, managing these networks is unnecessarily complicated and error-prone, due to a heterogeneous mix of devices (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, and middleboxes) with closed and proprietary configuration interfaces. Softwaredefined networks are poised to change this by offering a clean and open interface between networking devices and the software that controls them. In particular, many commercial switches support the OpenFlow protocol, and a number of campus, data center, and backbone networks have deployed the new technology. However, while SDNs make it possible to program the network, they does not make it easy. Today's OpenFlow controllers offer low-level APIs that mimic the underlying switch hardware. To reach SDNs full potential, we need to identify the right higher-level abstractions for creating (and composing) applications. In the Frenetic project, we are designing simple and intuitive abstractions for programming the three main stages of network management: monitoring network traffic, specifying and composing packet forwarding policies, and updating policies in a consistent way. Overall, these abstractions make it dramatically easier for programmers to write and reason about SDN applications.
ISSN:0163-6804
1558-1896
DOI:10.1109/MCOM.2013.6461197