Title: Enhancing Capabilities of the Network Data Plane using Network Virtualization and Software Defined Networking

Bilal Anwer

School of Computer Science

College of Computing

Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: Friday, Oct 30, 2015

Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Location: Klaus Room 3100

Committee:

----------

Prof. Nick Feamster, (Advisor, School of Computer Science, Georgia Tech and Department of Computer Science, Princeton University) Prof. Mostafa Ammar, (School of Computer Science, Georgia Tech) Prof. Ellen Zegura, (School of Computer Science, Georgia Tech) Prof. Ling Liu, (School of Computer Science, Georgia Tech) Prof. Theophilus Benson, (Department of Computer Science, Duke University) 

Abstract:

---------

Enhancement of data-plane functionality is an open problem that has recently got momentum.  Addition and programmability of new functions inside the network data-plane to enable high speed, complex data functions with minimum resource utilization, is main focus of this thesis.  In this work, we look at different levels of the network data-plane design and using network virtualization and software defined networking we propose data plane enhancements to achieve these goals. In first part of this thesis we take a ground up approach where we focus our attention at the fast path packet processing. Using hardware and software based network virtualization we show how hardware and software based network switches can be designed to achieve above mentioned goals.  We then present a switch design to quickly add these custom fast path packet processors to the network data-plane using software defined networking. In second part of this thesis we take a top to bottom approach where we present a programming abstraction for network operators and a network function deployment system. We use network virtualization and software defined networking to introduce new network functions inside the data-plane while alleviating the operators from determining the location and deployment mechanism of these functions and minimizing the network resource utilization.