Collaborative Research: CNS Core: Large: Runtime Programmable Networks

可编程性是网络创新的燃料。在今天的可编程网络中，可以轻松开发新功能，而不必依赖供应商的支持。然而，部署新功能仍然需要整个机队的维护，以避免中断，因为设备重新编程会导致停机。这严重限制了更改的速度，因为维护操作需要提前很长时间进行细致的规划。该项目提出了运行时可编程网络，其中端到端网络基础设施，从主机内核垂直向下到网络接口卡，以及横向跨交换机延伸到网络的另一端，可以在没有分组丢弃的情况下进行动态重新编程，并且具有强大的一致性保证。这代表着与今天的可编程网络相比的重大飞跃，可编程网络在编译时可重新配置，但在部署后在运行时成为固定功能。根据该项目的愿景，FlexNet网络基础设施提供基本实用程序的集合，并根据需要通过添加、删除或覆盖特定功能将扩展部分重新配置到基础设施中。这加快了向最终用户提供新功能的速度，通过降低改变的障碍提高了大型网络的可管理性，并创造了当今可编程网络所不具备的新可能性，例如强大的动态安全防御。有了FlexNet，该项目可以在需要时准确地将安全防御部署到网络中。防御可以迁移到攻击位置或在整个网络中复制，以最大限度地提高其有效性。它们甚至可以实时变形，以减轻不断变化的攻击。当攻击减弱时，这些防御措施可以很快从网络中移除，以减少开销。该项目旨在将网络编程从编译时的“一次性”工作提升到整个网络生命周期的“持续”活动。为了实现我们的愿景，该项目需要在整个堆栈中进行创新。具体地说，该项目提出了一种端到端的编程、编译、验证和管理运行时可编程网络的四管齐下的方法。首先，运行时网络编程需要作为一个整体控制不同的数据路径及其实时变化，同时确保运行时跨设备的可移植性；因此，该项目将开发一个新的编程系统。将一个全网络程序编译到一个不同的底层，同时不断地重新优化运行时的变化，需要一个新的编译器设计。为了确保网络变更的安全性，本项目必须同时在运行时验证和验证方面进行创新。最后，FlexNet计划在网络中具有动态足迹-跨设备迁移、扩展和收缩-因此该项目需要一个新的管理系统来控制这种前所未有的动态。该项目将产生一个综合平台，在此平台上，将在不同规模和不同工作量下对FlexNet技术进行全面评估。为了实现更广泛的社区参与，该项目将发布开源的软件和硬件原型和教育材料，并通过与行业合作伙伴的合作，将FlexNet技术转化为实践。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Programmability is fuel for network innovation. In today’s programmable networks, new features can be easily developed without having to rely on vendor support. However, deploying new features still requires fleet-wide maintenance to avoid disruption because device reprogramming incurs downtime. This severely constrains the speed of change, as maintenance operations require meticulous planning well ahead of time. This project proposes runtime programmable networks, where the end-to-end network infrastructure, vertically from the host kernels down to the network interface cards, and horizontally extending across switches to the other end of the network, can be reprogrammed on-the-fly without packet drops and with strong consistency guarantees. This represents a major leap from today’s programmable networks, which are reconfigurable at compile time but become fixed functions at runtime after deployment.According to this project's vision, FlexNet, the network infrastructure provides a collection of basic utilities and, on demand, extensions are partially reconfigured into the infrastructure by injecting, removing, or overriding specific functions. This accelerates the speed of delivering new features to end users, increases the manageability of large networks by lowering the barrier for change, and creates new possibilities unavailable in today’s programmable networks, such as powerful, dynamic security defenses. With FlexNet, this project can summon security defenses into the network precisely when needed. Defenses can migrate to the attack location or replicate across the network to maximize their effectiveness. They can even shapeshift in real time to mitigate changing attacks. When attacks subside, these defenses can be soon removed from the network to reduce overhead. This project aims to elevate network programming from a “one-shot” endeavor at compile time to “continuous” activities throughout the lifecycle of the network.In order to realize our vision, this project needs to innovate across the stack. Concretely, this project proposes a four-pronged approach to programing, compiling, verifying, and managing runtime programmable networks end-to-end. First, runtime network programming requires controlling disparate datapaths and their real-time changes as a whole, while ensuring runtime portability across devices; thus, this project will develop a new programming system. Compiling a whole-network program to a heterogeneous substrate, while continuously reoptimizing for runtime changes, requires a new compiler design. To ensure the safety of network changes, this project must simultaneously innovate on runtime verification and validation. Finally, FlexNet programs have dynamic footprints in the network—migrating, expanding, and shrinking across devices—so this project needs a new management system to control such unprecedented dynamics. This project will produce an integrated platform upon which the FlexNet techniques will be evaluated comprehensively at various scales and with diverse workloads. To achieve a wider community engagement, this project will release software and hardware prototypes and educational materials in open source, and by collaborating with industry partners, this project will transition the FlexNet technologies into practice.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.