1.
PRISTINE Project
Exploring Programmability in RINA (Recursive
Internet Architectures)
EU-Taiwan Workshop
October 24th, Bruxelles
@ictpristine
Tinku Rasheed
Future Networks Area Head
Create-Net Research Center, Italy
Slides courtesy @ PRISTINE Consortium

2.
Softwarized Networks: Key Goals
Commoditization of network equipments
Programmability
What for?
• Flexibility, agility, reuse, automation
• Seamless integration with infrastructure
management solutions
• Lowering CAPEX and OPEX
• .. And (last but most important) allow rapid network
innovation

3.
Inconveniences
Commoditization: Who decides the limit? What is
the minimum?
Programmability: only for forwarding tables?
• What about data transfer, resource allocation, flow
control, access control, authentication…
Complexity: still build on TCP/IP?
• Security, Multi-homing, Mobility…
• Huge pile of protocols/RFCs

4.
RINA is an..
Innovative approach to computer networking
using inter-process communications (IPC), a set
of techniques for the exchange of data among
multiple threads in processes running on one or
more computers connected to a network.
The RINA principle:
Networking is not a layered set of
different functions but rather a single
layer (DIF) of distributed IPC’s that
repeats over different scopes.
Ref. : J. Day: “Patterns in Network Architecture: A Return to Fundamentals, Prentice Hall, 2008.

5.
RINA Architecture
• A structure of recursive layers
that provide IPC (Inter Process
Communication) services to
applications on top
• There’s a single type of layer
that repeats as many times as
required by the network
designer
• Separation of mechanism from
policy
• All layers have the same functions, with different scope and range.
– Not all instances of layers may need all functions, but don’t need more.
• A Layer is a Distributed Application that performs and manages IPC (a Distributed
IPC Facility –DIF-)
• This yields a theory and an architecture that scales indefinitely,
– i.e. any bounds imposed are not a property of the architecture itself.

6.
Why RINA
now?

7.
RINA and SDN Goals, how?
Commoditization
• RINA defines the common elements in computer
networking
Programmability
• RINA defines the variable behaviour for common
elements, and hence the common APIs to program
them
Complexity
• RINA maximize the invariants, hence require far
less protocols to enable networking

8.
PRISTINE: At a Glance
• Design and implement the innovative internals of the RINA
architecture (a RINA SDK) that include the programmable
functions for:
• security of content and application processes,
• supporting QoS and congestion control in aggregated levels,
providing protection and resilience, facilitating more efficient
topological routing
• multi-layer management for handling configuration, performance
and security.
• Demonstrate the applicability and benefits of this approach
and its built-in functions in three use-cases
• datacenter, distributed cloud, carrier network
• Develop an open-source RINA simulator

9.
PRISTINE: At a Glance
External Advisory Board
Cisco Systems, Telecom Italia, Deutsche Telekom, Colt
Telecom, Boston Univesity, Interoute

10.
PRISTINE Use Cases
Distributed cloud
Decentralized cloud technology; customer’s applications run in
datacenters but also in servers from offices and home users.
Infrastructure interconnected through multiple ISPs, overall
connectivity provided through overlay on top -> Use RINA to
provide this overlay
Datacenter networking
Evaluate RINA as a technology that allows more dynamicity
and tighter integration with applications (dynamic
instantiation of application-optimized VPNs)
Network Service Provider
Investigate benefits of RINA for NSP: better network design,
simpler management, DIFs that support different levels of
QoS with stronger flow isolation, better security,
programmability, etc.

11.
Usecase: Distributed Cloud

12.
Use Case: Network Service
Provider

13.
Take Away
PRISTINE offers a new playground for SDN
PRISTINE is building the RINA SDK for you to
experiment SDN, in a refreshing way
First RINA simulator is available. Try it!

14.
<Thank You!>
For further information:
Twitter @ictpristine
Web www.ict-pristine.eu

15.
Backup
@ictpristine

16.
Architectural model
DIF
System (Host)
IPC Process
Shim IPC
Process
Mgmt
Agemt
System
(Router)
IPC Process
Shim IPC
Process
Mgmt
Agemt
Shim IPC
Process
System
(Host)
IPC Process
Shim IPC
Process
Mgmt
Agemt
Appl.
Process
Shim DIF
over TCP/UDP
Shim DIF
over Ethernet
Appl.
Process
IPC API
Data Transfer Data Transfer Control Layer Management
SDU Delimiting
Data Transfer
Relaying and
Multiplexing
SDU Protection
Transmission
Transmission
Control
Retransmission
Control
Flow Control
RIB
Daemon
CACEP Enrollment
RRIBIB CDAP
Parser/Generator
Flow Allocation
Resource
Allocation
Forwarding Table
Generator
Authentication
State Vector State Vector State Vector
DDaatata T Trarannssfefer r
Transmission
Control
Control
Retransmission
RetraCnsomntirsoslion
Control
FFloloww C Coonntrtorol l
Increasing timescale (functions performed less often) and complexity

17.
Naming and addressing in RINA
All application processes
(including IPC processes) have
a name that uniquely identifies
them within the application
process namespace.
In order to facilitate its operation
within a DIF, each IPC process
within a DIF gets a synonym
that may be structured to
facilitate its use within the DIF
(i.e. an address).
1 2 DIF A
3 4
1 2 1 2 DIF C
3 1 2
1 2 1 2
DIF B
DIF D
DIF E DIF F
 The scope of an address is the DIF, addresses are not visible outside of the DIF.
 The Flow Allocator function of the DIF finds the DIF IPC Process through which a
destination Application process can be accessed.
 Because the architecture is recursive, applications, nodes and PoAs are relative
 For a given DIF of rank N, the IPC Process is a node, the process at the layer N+1 is an
application and the process at the layer N-1 is a Point of Attachment.