ReasoNet:Inferring Network Policies Using Ontologies

Modern SDN control stacks consist of multiple abstraction and virtualization layers to enable flexibility in the development of new control features. Rich data modeling frameworks are essential when sharing information across control layers. Unfortunately, existing NOS data modeling capabilities are limited to simple type-checking and code templating. We present an exploration of a more extreme point on SDN data modeling: ReasoNet. Developers can use semantic web technologies to enrich their data models with reasoning rules and integrity/consistency constraints and automate state inference across layers. We demonstrate the ability of ReasoNet to automate state verification and cross-layer debugging, through the implementation of two popular control applications, a learning switch and a QoS policy engine

The NOVI information models

The NOVI Information Model (IM) and the corresponding data models are the glue between the software components in the NOVI Service Layer. The IM enables the communication among the various components of the NOVI Architecture and supports the various functionalities it offers. The NOVI IM consists of three main ontologies: resource, monitoring and policy ontology that have evolved over time to accommodate the emerging requirements of the NOVI architecture. This article presents the NOVI IM and its ontologies, together with an overview of how the NOVI software prototypes have benefited from using the IM