NeTS-FIND: Collaborative Research: Towards Complexity-Oblivious Network Management

提案编号：0626978 PI：Paul T FrancisInstitution：康奈尔大学提案编号：0627086 PI：Jay Lepreau机构：犹他大学标题：NetS-FIND：协作研究：走向复杂性遗忘网络管理摘要网络管理是昂贵的，容易出错。 充其量，这给工业带来了巨大的成本。 更糟糕的是，它危及越来越依赖互联网的关键基础设施，如电力和紧急服务。 网络管理的困难源于这样一个事实，即互联网是在没有网络管理体系结构的情况下发明的。 相反，有大量的事后管理工具和对象。该项目是基于三个核心概念对网络管理的彻底重新设计。 首先是一个低级别的自配置通信通道，允许软件网络管理器发现设备和其他管理器。 此通道允许管理系统在更高级别的协议不起作用的情况下运行。第二个是抽象接口，允许网络模块以简单的方式表示自己。 这种抽象允许管理系统在不了解协议操作细节的情况下理解网络。 第三是一种声明性配置语言，允许人类管理人员以面向目标的方式指定网络操作。 这种语言使管理人员能够专注于网络应该完成什么，而不是如何完成。这项研究将减少管理网络所需的人力和专业知识，提高网络的可靠性，并最终导致网络在很大程度上实现自我管理。这项研究将在Emulab中进行测试和部署，Emulab是一个大型网络测试平台，有数千名研究人员使用。 Emulab中强化的方法可以作为管理GENI基础设施的基础，在那里可以进一步测试和改进这些想法。 反过来，GENI将作为行业采用的概念验证。

Proposal Number: 0626978PI: Paul T FrancisInstitution: Cornell UniversityProposal Number: 0627086PI: Jay LepreauInstitution: University of UtahTitle: NeTS-FIND: Collaborative Research: Towards Complexity-Oblivious Network ManagementAbstractNetwork management is costly and error prone. At best, this imposes a tremendous cost on industry. Worse, it compromises critical infrastructure that increasingly relies on the Internet, such as power and emergency services. The difficulty of network management derives from the fact that the Internet was invented without a network management architecture. Rather, there are a plethora of after-the-fact management tools and objects.This project is a ground-up redesign of network management based on three core concepts. First is a low-level, self-configuring communication channel that allows software network managers to discover devices and other managers. This channel allows the management system to function even when higher level protocols do not. Second is an abstract interface that allows network modules to represent themselves in simple ways. This abstraction allows management systems to understand the network without understanding the details of protocol operation. Third is a declarative configuration language that allows human managers to specify network operation in goal-oriented terms. This language allows managers to focus on what the network is supposed to accomplish, instead of how.This research will reduce the manpower and expertise needed to manage networks, increase their reliability, and ultimately lead towards largely self-managing networks.This research will be tested and deployed in Emulab, a large network testbed used by thousands of researchers. Methods hardened in Emulab can serve as the basis for management of the GENI infrastructure, where the ideas can be further tested and refined. GENI in turn will serve as a proof-of-concept for industry adoption.