Compiling packet forwarding rules for switch pipelined architecture

Abstract

Openflow is a key step in abstracting network functions by separating the control and the forwarding plane. However, even with continuous innovation and evolution of the protocol, its adoption on forwarding device targets remains laborious and time consuming. In this paper, we present a semantic-based approach to packet forwarding design that tailors flow classification to the underlying switch device. Its key idea consist in streamlining flow classification through rule compiling and thus to optimize forwarding operations and improve switch resources usage. The compiling itself exploits a rule grouping gleaned through Frequent Pattern Mining and Network Calculus in optimizing flow classification w.r.t. the switch pipelined architecture.