Collaborative Research: NBD: An Abstraction Driven Approach to Characterizing and Designing Networks with Analyzable Properties

该项目研究了一类新的抽象，以简化网络设计和配置，它是(i)任务驱动的，即捕获网络设计的预期性能、安全性、可管理性或弹性；（ii）全网，即捕获整个网络的需求，而不是单个设备的需求。这与之前仅仅对底层协议和机制建模的工作完全不同。重点是企业网络，这是一个研究人员尚未涉足的领域。本项目通过对实际企业网络设计的自下而上的研究，深入了解运营商对其网络的目标。这些研究采用了独特的“白盒子”。涉及与操作符进行广泛和迭代交互的方法学。该项目开发了抽象，以及在三个方面衡量其有效性的基本原理和标准：(i)安全性和弹性策略的实施；（ii）使用vlan简化管理；（三）通过计划维护实现网络演进。它展示了这些抽象在简化自顶向下的网络设计和网络属性验证方面的强大功能。更具体地说，它发展了配置器的理论。或者能够从高级设计需求中生成盒级配置的系统，以及一组预先选择的协议和机制，并且它进行了调查？语义审计呢?用于正式验证网络的现有盒级配置是否产生预期的网络行为的技术。更广泛的影响：该研究旨在为将网络设计和配置转变为一门科学提供基础知识和原则。这也将有助于提高网络管理在本科和研究生课程中的覆盖率。普渡大学将开设一个新的网络管理研究生班，并将通过对照研究来验证抽象的可用性，这些研究涉及培训成为IT专业人员的学生。

This project investigates a new class of abstractions to simplify network design and configuration which is (i) task-driven, i.e., captures the intended performance, security, manageability, or resilience of a network design; and (ii) network-wide, i.e., captures the requirements of the network as a whole rather than of individual devices. It is a radical departure from prior efforts that merely model the underlying protocols and mechanisms.The focus is on enterprise networks, an area largely unexplored by researchers. Through bottom-up studies of actual enterprise network designs, the project obtains insights into the goals operators have for their networks. The studies employ unique ?white-box? methodologies involving extensive and iterative interactions with operators.The project develops abstractions, along with the rationale and criteria for measuring their effectiveness in three areas: (i) implementation of security and resilience policies; (ii) use of VLANs to simplify management; and (iii) network evolution through planned maintenance. It demonstrates the power of these abstractions in simplifying both top-down network design, and validation of network properties. More specifically, it develops the theory for ?configurators?, or systems that can generate box level configuration from high-level design requirements, and a pre-selected set of protocols and mechanisms, and it investigates ?semantic auditing? techniques for formally verifying that a network's existing box-level configuration produces the intended network behavior. Broader Impact: The research aims to produce fundamental knowledge and principles for turning network design and configuration into a science. It will also help enhance the coverage of network management in undergraduate and graduate curriculum. A new graduate class on Network Management will be created at Purdue and the usability of abstractions will be validated using controlled studies involving students training to become IT professionals.