A challenge facing network device designers, besides increasing the speed of network gear, is improving its programmability in order to simplify the implementation of new applications (see for example, active networks, content networking, etc). This paper presents our work on designing and implementing a virtual network processor, called NetVM, which has an instruction set optimized for packet processing applications, i.e., for handling network traffic. Similarly to a Java Virtual Machine that virtualizes a CPU, a NetVM virtualizes a network processor. The NetVM is expected to provide a compatibility layer for networking tasks (e.g., packet filtering, packet counting, string matching) performed by various packet processing applications (firewalls, network monitors, intrusion detectors) so that they can be executed on any network device, ranging from expensive routers to small appliances (e.g. smart phones). Moreover, the NetVM will provide efficient mapping of the elementary functionalities used to realize the above mentioned networking tasks upon specific hardware functional units (e.g., ASICs, FPGAs, and network processing elements) included in special purpose hardware systems possibly deployed to implement network devices.

Network Virtual Machine (NetVM): A New Architecture for Efficient and Portable Packet Processing Applications / Degioanni, L.; Baldi, Mario; Buffa, D.; Risso, FULVIO GIOVANNI OTTAVIO; Stirano, F.; Varenni, G.. - STAMPA. - 1:(2005), pp. 163-168. (Intervento presentato al convegno 8th International Conference on Telecommunications (ConTEL 2005) tenutosi a Zagreb (Croatia) nel June 15-17, 2005) [10.1109/CONTEL.2005.185843].

Network Virtual Machine (NetVM): A New Architecture for Efficient and Portable Packet Processing Applications

BALDI, MARIO;RISSO, FULVIO GIOVANNI OTTAVIO;
2005

Abstract

A challenge facing network device designers, besides increasing the speed of network gear, is improving its programmability in order to simplify the implementation of new applications (see for example, active networks, content networking, etc). This paper presents our work on designing and implementing a virtual network processor, called NetVM, which has an instruction set optimized for packet processing applications, i.e., for handling network traffic. Similarly to a Java Virtual Machine that virtualizes a CPU, a NetVM virtualizes a network processor. The NetVM is expected to provide a compatibility layer for networking tasks (e.g., packet filtering, packet counting, string matching) performed by various packet processing applications (firewalls, network monitors, intrusion detectors) so that they can be executed on any network device, ranging from expensive routers to small appliances (e.g. smart phones). Moreover, the NetVM will provide efficient mapping of the elementary functionalities used to realize the above mentioned networking tasks upon specific hardware functional units (e.g., ASICs, FPGAs, and network processing elements) included in special purpose hardware systems possibly deployed to implement network devices.
2005
9531840814
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/1494571
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