IRTF Network Virtualization BAR-BOF 72th IETF Minneapolis, MN, USA November 20, 2008 Discussions: Session chair: nvrg@listserv.gwdg.de Martin Stiemerling (NEC & University of Göttingen) stiemerling@nw.neclab.eu
Agenda Agenda Bashing Purpose of this meeting Martin Stiemerling EU IST 4WARD project Christoph Werle Host architecture for virtualization Joe Touch Discussion of problem space and work items towards a charter IRTF NVRG BAR BOF 2
Supplemental Information supplemental web site http://user.informatik.uni-goettingen.de/~stiemer/nvrg/ subscribe to the discussion mailing list at https://listserv.gwdg.de/mailman/listinfo/nvrg w 91 people subscribed to list (as of Nov 20, 2008) IRTF NVRG BAR BOF 3
First BAR BOF First meeting in March 2008 w 20 participants Presentations w Network Virtualization Joe Touch w Network Virtualization in the European 4ward research project Roland Bless w Network Virtualization Project at NICT Shu Yamamoto w An Overview to GENI Aaron Falk Conclusion w diverse field, many ideas, even more technology around w no clear research challenge identified at this time IRTF NVRG BAR BOF 4
Purpose of this Meeting Network Virtualization is around as term Three basic camps: w next generation testbeds (e.g., GENI, AKARI, etc) w next generation Internet (4WARD) w specific virtualization extensions (layer X VPN, etc) Which level: w through whole network stack (4WARD, GENI) w part of stack (IETF WGs in this area) Which elements: w end hosts w routers Q0: What are the problems to be solved? Q1: What issue are emerging out of this? Q2: Is leading towards network virtualization? IRTF NVRG BAR BOF 5
Network Virtualization: Some Definitions Virtualization, as used in virtual memory, virtual machines, and elsewhere, is nothing more than a high-level abstraction that hides the underlying implementation details. Virtualization is the core principle in overlays, both allowing nodes to treat an overlay as if it were the native network, and allowing multiple overlays to simultaneously use the same underlying overlay infrastructure. [L. Peterson, et al, HotNets 04] You could view network virtualization as a *platform* for supporting multiple virtual network topologies on a shared substrate -- that is, a platform that has the ability to support or "host" (multiple) virtual topologies (each consisting of multiple virtual nodes and virtual links) running directly in the underlying substrate. [J. Rexford, mail to the nvrg list 6/18/08]
Virtualization in Computer Tech There is a lot virtual in computers today w virtual memory w CPU virtualization support w hard disk space (e.g. logical volumes across multiple physical disks) w virtual machines it s there since 1960s or so?! w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mainframe_compu ter w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ibm_system/360
The Internet is Virtualization!? Joe Touch s comment during the NVRG meeting the CATENET w First mentioned: Pouzin, L., "A Proposal for Interconnecting Packet Switching Networks," Proceedings of EUROCOMP, Bronel University, May 1974, pp. 1023-36. w http://www.postel.org/ien/txt/ien48.txt w Interconnect different technologies by means of gateways w first step of virtualization, i.e., hiding underlying complexity w turned out to evolve to what we call the Internet
What should Network Virtualization do for us? Reality of the Internet can hurt: w NAT, IPv4 vs. IPv6, mobility (?) Many changes required or desired w however, the Internet needs to serve all of us ;) w there might be no right future Internet for all w slicing of infrastructure can be one solution (Turner, 4WARD, etc) w but probably adding moving issues & complexity somewhere else Add flexibility so that things can be done w Network should not limit possible usage but cannot support all usage or foresee them w invariants of network are unchangeable e.g., IP addresses, there is no QoS
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Acknowledgments Martin Stiemerling is partially supported by NAPA-WINE, a research project supported by the European Commission under its 7th Framework Program (contract no. 214412). The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the NAPA-WINE project or the European Commission IRTF NVRG BAR BOF 11