Internet2 and AL2S

Eric BoydSenior Director of Strategic Projects

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Internet2 Mission

University Corporation

forAdvanced Internet

Development

This is what we have been able to say for about a year:The 100G testbed of innovation for tomorrow’s Internet is available nationwide, right now.

• Abundant Bandwidth–100G, for now

• Network Programmability–SDN, Network Virtualization

• Friction-Free Science–Science DMZ

Internet2 Community Innovation Story

• Abundant Bandwidth–100G, for now

• Network Programmability–SDN, Network Virtualization

• Friction-Free Science–Science DMZ

Internet2 Community Innovation Story

Network Virtualization on Internet2

Network Virtualization on Internet2

Network Virtualization on Internet2

Network Virtualization on Internet2

• Control a slice of the national network!

• Enable:• Rapid prototyping of

advanced applications• Rapid prototyping of

new network services• Rapid advancement of

network research

• Network Virtualization: Puts members in control of (a slice of) the network

• Change in paradigm:– Turning the “commons” on its head – Private network capabilities with shared network costs

• Large scale networking is normally about lowest common denominator

• Large scale virtualized networking is about creating custom facilities

• Extend the local domain into the national (eventually global) arena

Network Virtualization on Internet2

• For most applications run in a campus environment, the traditional routed Layer 3 infrastructure provided by the Internet2 Advanced Layer 3 Service (AL3S) provides all the needed functionality and performance.

• For some applications, the ability to run on a server in a campus environment or on a GENI Rack, connected by a Layer 2 VLAN, should suffice.

• For a few advanced applications, particularly in the network research arena, there is a need to run their own controller on a virtual network.

Network Virtualization Use Case

• Production Service Staging– GENI wants to move to Stitching v3.0, but Stitching 2.0 is in wide use– Set up a slice, deploy a second OESS, deploy new version of FOAM

Stitching Aggregator– When it’s tested and ready, move to the production OESS stack

• Network Research– Network researcher has a better idea how to do networking– Set up a slice, deploy new network controller, write paper

• Service Prototyping– Look at alternatives to AL3S– Implement a route server that speaks OpenFlow on southbound

interface with no routers– Deploy in a slice, begin peering with other domains– Evaluate efficacy, operational savings– Over time transition to new service

Use Case Examples (1)

• Private Networks– Want something akin to Atlantic Wave, original vision for LHCONE,

or GENI Virtual Network– Set up a distributed SDX across multiple domains

• Network virtualization experiments are already underway– Prototyping IP over SDN solution (no routers!)– Prototyping cloud-based services– Prototyping multi-domain virtual networks– DANCES

Use Case Examples (2)

• Vendors such as Brocade provide switches that implement OpenFlow.• Through close development partnerships, Internet2 can deploy advanced

technology.• Internet2 and Indiana University have developed a second-generation, open

source hypervisor, called Flowspace Firewall (FSFW).– FSFW divvies up the available VLANs on a network into VLAN ranges, known as

slices.– FSFW acts as a proxy between one or more OpenFlow controllers and a set of

switches within a single administrative domain.– FSFW only carries OpenFlow commands from a controller to a switch (or the

reverse) if the command falls within the allocated range of VLANs for that controller.

– FSFW acts as a resource protector, ensuring that no controller overconsumes scarce resources such as the rate at which OpenFlow rules can be fed to a switch or the number of OpenFlow entries in the Flow Table.

• Technology enables Innovation in the Internet2 Community

Technology behind Network Virtualization

• Backdrop:– Internet2 operates a Layer 2 Service– Campuses (e.g. University of Utah) operate a Layer 2 Service– Regional Networks (e.g. MAX) operate a Layer 2 Service– Exchange Points (e.g. AMPATH/FIU) operate a Layer 2 Service

• Is there a way to create a Multi-Domain Layer 2 Service?– Common capabilities– Willingness to collaborate– Willingness to contribute to a common project– Maintain local control

• Withdraw at any time– Enable (illusion of) global control

• Control remote administrative domains– No change in software, just configuration

Prototype Multi-Domain Layer 2 Service

Multi-Domain Sample Network

Questions?

Eric Boydeboyd@internet2.edu