Unreliable inter process communication in Ethernet: migrating to RINA with the shim DIF

There is often a requirement to interface a new model to a legacy implementation by creating a shim between them to make the legacy appear as close to the new model as possible. This is a common exercise, usually fraught with frustrations, but here we find the exercise reveals fundamental aspects about nature of layers that were previously not well understood. Here we will be primarily concerned with creating a shim between RINA and IEEE 802.1q (VLANs). The Recursive InterNet Architecture (RINA) proposes a network architecture derived from the fundamentals of InterProcess Communication (IPC). This yields a recursively layered architecture of Distributed IPC Facilities (DIFs)

Recursive internetwork architecture, investigating RINA as an alternative to TCP/IP (IRATI)

Driven by the requirements of the emerging applications and networks, the Internet has become an architectural patchwork of growing complexity which strains to cope with the changes. Moore’s law prevented us from recognising that the problem does not hide in the high demands of today’s applications but lies in the flaws of the Internet’s original design. The Internet needs to move beyond TCP/IP to prosper in the long term, TCP/IP has outlived its usefulness. The Recursive InterNetwork Architecture (RINA) is a new Internetwork architecture whose fundamental principle is that networking is only interprocess communication (IPC). RINA reconstructs the overall structure of the Internet, forming a model that comprises a single repeating layer, the DIF (Distributed IPC Facility), which is the minimal set of components required to allow distributed IPC between application processes. RINA supports inherently and without the need of extra mechanisms mobility, multi-homing and Quality of Service, provides a secure and configurable environment, motivates for a more competitive marketplace and allows for a seamless adoption. RINA is the best choice for the next generation networks due to its sound theory, simplicity and the features it enables. IRATI’s goal is to achieve further exploration of this new architecture. IRATI will advance the state of the art of RINA towards an architecture reference model and specifcations that are closer to enable implementations deployable in production scenarios. The design and implemention of a RINA prototype on top of Ethernet will permit the experimentation and evaluation of RINA in comparison to TCP/IP. IRATI will use the OFELIA testbed to carry on its experimental activities. Both projects will benefit from the collaboration. IRATI will gain access to a large-scale testbed with a controlled network while OFELIA will get a unique use-case to validate the facility: experimentation of a non-IP based Internet

T-NOVA: A marketplace for virtualized network functions

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is a concept, which has attracted significant attention as a promising approach towards the virtualization/“softwarisation” of network infrastructures. With the aim of promoting NFV, this paper outlines an integrated architecture, designed and developed within the context of the EU FP7 T-NOVA project, which allows network operators not only to deploy virtualized Network Functions (NFs) for their own needs, but also to offer them to their customers, as value-added services (Network Functions as-a-Service, NFaaS). Virtual network appliances (gateways, proxies, firewalls, transcoders, analyzers etc.) can be provided on-demand as-a-Service, eliminating the need to acquire, install and maintain specialized hardware at customers' premises. A “NFV Marketplace” is also introduced, where network services and functions created by a variety of developers can be published, acquired and instantiated on-demand

Ultra-low latency 5G CHARISMA architecture for secure intelligent transportation verticals

We describe low end-to-end latencies of 6.69 ms in the 5G CHARISMA network, that has been optimised for both device and system technologies speed, as well as with its virtualised, hierarchical and distributed, edge-centric architecture, that processes data as near as possible to their source and destination. Such an ultra-high speed 5G network can be utilised in intelligent transport system (ITS) applications, and we describe a public transport bus-based use case that takes advantage of the CHARISMA capabilities

Hierarchical, virtualised and distributed intelligence 5G architecture for low-latency and secure applications

CHARISMA aims to tackle low‐latency and end‐to‐end security for converged fixed/wireless 5G networks in order to meet the complex demands of emerging business paradigms, such as Smart Cities, eHealth and Industry 4.0. In this paper, we present the key drivers and requirements towards a hierarchical, distributed‐intelligence 5G architecture, supporting low latency, security and open access as features intrinsic to its design. We also investigate the business perspective of the proposed 5G solution and the changes that can be foreseen for the telecom ecosystem

CHARISMA: Converged heterogeneous advanced 5G cloud-RAN architecture for intelligent and secure media access

5G networks aims to tackle the complex demands of emerging business paradigms, such as Smart Cities, eHealth, and Industry 4.0. In this paper, a hierarchical, distributed-intelligence 5G architecture is described, offering low latency, security, and open access as features intrinsic to its design. SDN and NFV principles are employed to create a networking solution applicable to a large number of high-specification 5G use case scenarios