ANTS Goals Today’s networks lack flexibility … Active networks are an appealing solution, but no convincing demonstration that they can work … Seek to allow new network services to be introduced rapidly. Evaluate the hypothesis that they can provide useful flexibility at a reasonable security/performance cost. Nov 97 djw

ANTS Architecture Approach Model Goal uncoordinated introduction, automatic deployment application-specific protocols used “on-the-fly” Model programmable routers generalize IP forwarding mobile code used to implement new services Goal show feasibility/usefulness, explore tradeoffs Nov 97 djw

ANTS Glossary Node Capsule Protocol Application programmable router that implements services Capsule generalized packet (header + data + program) different capsule types have different programs Protocol communication rules that provide a service codified as set of related capsule types Application network client that uses services via protocols Nov 97 djw

Capsules are Generalized Packets Protocol+Program Id Header Data Node Node Capsule carry the program and protocol by reference using a fingerprint to prevent code spoofing header includes at least fields for default forwarding, resource limits and source identification Nov 97 djw

Node Operating System hosts user-defined protocols capsule API: soft-storage, routing, … admits new protocols at its discretion protects network/protocol integrity executes untrusted code, limits resource use provides each protocol with its network “view” distributes code among nodes Nov 97 djw

Code is Loaded at Routers need to be efficient, adaptive, and load-limited previous node loading node load request time load response application provides code at end systems, while node loading is triggered by capsules Nov 97 djw