Providing Infrastructure Functions for Virtual Networks by Applying Node Plug-in Architecture

Although nodes in a network-virtualization infrastructure, which is called a virtualization node, usually contain a switch or a router with sophisticated and high-performance functions such as Ethernet switching, VLAN, and IP routing, most of such infrastructure functions cannot be reused as program components by slices. Accordingly, a method for providing such functions to slices on a virtualization node (VNode) infrastructure, by applying the previously proposed plug-in architecture, is proposed. This architecture defines two types of plug-ins, i.e., control plug-ins and data plug-ins, and interfaces for them. As for the proposed method, the switch or router in the VNode is regarded as a data plug-in, and a control plug-in that allocates and isolates the switch/router resources was developed. The data plug-in interface was customized to handle a data plug-in, i.e., a layer-3 switch in a VNode, and a control plug-in and the interfaces for providing layer-3/VLAN switch functions to slices were designed, implemented, and evaluated. The evaluation result shows that instead of specifying a routing/switching program or method, specifying only an additional 8 to 25 lines in a slice definition enables slice developers to use routing and switching functions. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Elhadi M. Shakshuki.