DiPS/CuPS: a Framework for Runtime Customizable Protocol Stacks

In this paper we present a design for runtime Customizable Protocol Stacks, which we call CuPS. CuPS is an add-on to DiPS (Distrinet Protocol Stack framework), a component framework for developing open protocol stacks. The design of the DiPS framework allows one to plug in meta-level extensions. CuPS is such a meta-level extension that permits dynamic, unanticipated customizations such as adding, removing and replacing components. We evaluate and prove the necessity of our customizable open protocol stack approach with the design and implementation of a reliability protocol, which can dynamically be adapted to improve different network characteristics (such as packet loss, jitter and communication delay). The results clearly show that application performance can benefit from runtime customizations at protocol stack level. We strongly believe that a combination of the service level flexibility (on top of a protocol stack) of traditional active network approaches and the CuPS approach can result in the ultimate level of network flexibility. Keywords-Active/programmable networks, architecture, component technology, performance, resource management/QoS, dynamic adaptability