Network Convergence through Bridging Virtualization Tool

Jon Matias, Eduardo JacobUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

NETWORK CONVERGENCE

Network convergence is one of the main challenges of Next Generation Networks

Carrier-Grade Ethernet as transport technology of future network architectures

- Provider BridgesIEEE 802.1ad

- IEEE 802.1ah Provider Backbone Bridges

- IEEE 802.1Qay Provider Backbone Bridges - Traffic Engineering

- IEEE 802.1aq Shortest Path Bridging

Metro Ethernet Forum and Broadband Forum support this tendency

Virtualization Techniques

Click Project

- Basic modules to emulate PB, PBB & PBB-TE

- Design phase: C++ development reusability

Tap Devices

- Layer 2 virtual network devices

- Network connection virtualization between elements

- Originally developed at MIT

http://read.cs.ucla.edu/click/

Virtual Bridges

- Composed by basic Click elements and tap devices: .click files

- One Click process per element

Virtual Bridges GUI

New Graphical Tool developed

- Network scheme composition more efficient

- .click files consistence check & tap creation

- Source nodes and capture devices

- VNUML nodes

Bridging Virtualization

New approach for network convergence

- Multiple CGE instances onthe same element

- Packet classification based on VLANidentifier

- Output QoS support

Click development

- Based on modularity

- .click files change

- Forwarding processdepends on the specifictechnology

FromDevice(eth0)

Classifier(…)

VID_X VID_Y VID_Z

Network Instance X

PBB

Network Instance Y

PBB-TE

Network Instance Z

New Prop

Meter/Shaper Meter/Shaper Meter/Shaper

PrioSched

ToDevice(eth0)

Best Features of Bridging Tool

Interaction between real and virtual devices

- Complex network architectures easily created

Wireshark sniffing abilities

- Available on every virtual/real port

- Real traffic between emulated elements

- Commercial products can be tested

- Virtual network can be split up in multiple machines