EAGER: Collaborative Research: Towards an Extensible Internet

自20世纪90年代首次商业化以来，互联网的基本设计基本上没有改变。既然互联网是我们全球通信基础设施的核心，基本上不可能以任何重大方式改变其设计。不幸的是，为了提高Internet的性能和安全性，需要进行这样的更改。这个项目旨在通过一种叫做可扩展互联网的设计来解决这个矛盾。这是一个合作项目，汇集了来自霍利奥克山学院、纽约大学、华盛顿大学和加州大学伯克利分校国际计算机科学研究所的研究人员。在今天的因特网中，第3层有两个基本功能：(i)连接所有第2层网络；（ii）提供包传送服务，主机应用程序在此基础上构建。可扩展Internet的关键方面是它将第三层分成两层。第一层仍然是第三层，可以使用当前的互联网协议（IP），处理连接第二层网络的第一个功能。第二层需要一个新的层（称为3.5层），该层支持一组可扩展的数据包传递服务，从而处理第二个功能，即提供构建主机应用程序所依赖的服务。通过这种方式，可扩展Internet的设计使当前的Internet保持不变，但能够提供一组可扩展的新分组传递服务，这些服务将提高Internet的性能和安全性。可扩展Internet设计是可增量部署的（即，没有任何未更改的应用程序或域会失去连接性），与经济激励兼容，并且可以随着新需求的出现而继续发展。因此，它为Internet提供了一种实用的方式，使其远远超出当前的设计。如果采用可扩展Internet设计，它将对Internet的性质产生重大影响。特别是，向可扩展Internet的转换不仅仅是功能上的一次性更改，而是将Internet从单一且不变的服务模型（尽力而为的数据包交付）转换为不断发展和扩展的网络提供的服务集。此外，在推进这一议程的过程中，研究人员将通过各自研究小组的持续努力和各自部门的外展计划，努力增加STEM劳动力的多样性。研究人员还将把他们的研究结果纳入他们的课程，并免费提供这些材料。该项目的所有代码将在该项目的网站extensibleinternet.org上提供。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Internet’s basic design has remained largely unchanged since it first became commercial in the 1990s. Now that the Internet is the centerpiece of our global communications infrastructure, it is essentially impossible to alter its design in any significant way. Unfortunately, such changes are needed to improve the Internet’s performance and security. This project aims to resolve this paradox with a design called the Extensible Internet. This is a collaborative project which brings together investigators from Mount Holyoke College, New York University, the University of Washington, and International Computer Science Institute at the University of California at Berkeley.In today’s Internet, layer 3 has two basic functions: (i) connect all layer 2 networks and (ii) provide the packet delivery services on which host applications are built. The key aspect of the Extensible Internet is that it splits layer 3 into two layers. The first, which remains layer 3 and can use the current Internet Protocol (IP), handles the first function of connecting layer 2 networks. The second requires a new layer (called layer 3.5) that supports an extensible set of packet delivery services, and thus handles the second function of providing the services on which host applications are built. In this way, the Extensible Internet design leaves the current Internet unchanged but is able to provide an extensible set of new packet delivery services that will improve the Internet’s performance and security.The Extensible Internet design is incrementally deployable (i.e., no unchanged applications or domains would lose connectivity), compatible with economic incentives, and can continue to evolve as new requirements arise. As such, it provides a practical way for the Internet to evolve far beyond its current design. If the Extensible Internet design is adopted, it would have a significant impact on the nature of the Internet. In particular, transitioning to the Extensible Internet is not just a one-time change in functionality, but transforms the Internet from a single and unchanging service model (best-effort packet delivery) to an evolving and expanding set of network-provided services. In addition, in pursuing this agenda, the investigators will work to increase the diversity of the STEM workforce through ongoing efforts in their own research groups and the outreach programs in their respective departments. The investigators will also incorporate their results into their courses and make the material freely available.All of the code from this project will be available on the project’s website at ExtensibleInternet.org.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.