Container-based network function virtualization for software-defined networks

Cziva, R., Jouet, S., White, K. J.S. and Pezaros, D. P. (2015) Container-based network function virtualization for software-defined networks. In: ISCC 2015: The Twentieth IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications, Larnaca, Cyprus, 6-9 Jul 2015, pp. 415-420. ISBN 9781467371940 (doi: 10.1109/ISCC.2015.7405550)

[img]
Preview
Text
105926.pdf - Published Version

347kB

Publisher's URL: http://www.ieee-iscc.org/

Abstract

Today's enterprise networks almost ubiquitously deploy middlebox services to improve in-network security and performance. Although virtualization of middleboxes attracts a significant attention, studies show that such implementations are still proprietary and deployed in a static manner at the boundaries of organisations, hindering open innovation. In this paper, we present an open framework to create, deploy and manage virtual network functions (NF)s in OpenFlow-enabled networks. We exploit container-based NFs to achieve low performance overhead, fast deployment and high reusability missing from today's NFV deployments. Through an SDN northbound API, NFs can be instantiated, traffic can be steered through the desired policy chain and applications can raise notifications. We demonstrate the systems operation through the development of exemplar NFs from common Operating System utility binaries, and we show that container-based NFV improves function instantiation time by up to 68% over existing hypervisor-based alternatives, and scales to one hundred co-located NFs while incurring sub-millisecond latency.

Item Type:Conference Proceedings
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:White, Mr Kyle and Pezaros, Professor Dimitrios and Cziva, Mr Richard and Jouet, Mr Simon
Authors: Cziva, R., Jouet, S., White, K. J.S., and Pezaros, D. P.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
ISBN:9781467371940
Data DOI:10.5525/gla.researchdata.165

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record

Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
643481A Situation-aware information infrastructureDimitrios PezarosEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/L026015/1COM - COMPUTING SCIENCE
608831IMC2: Instrumentation, Measurement and Control for the CloudDimitrios PezarosEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/L005255/1COM - COMPUTING SCIENCE