Re: [nvrg-bof] Updated charter proposal

["PAPADIMITRIOU Dimitri" <Dimitri.Papadimitriou at alcatel-lucent.be>]

Martin, all, 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nvrg-bounces at listserv.gwdg.de 
> [mailto:nvrg-bounces at listserv.gwdg.de] On Behalf Of Martin Stiemerling
> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 11:01 AM
> To: nvrg at listserv.gwdg.de
> Subject: Re: [nvrg-bof] Updated charter proposal
> 
> I assume that no answer to this can mean:
> - it is all just fine (what I don't believe)
> - it so bad, not worth talking about it (hopefully not)
> - people have lost interest in the NVRG.

Two base comments:

o) "research challenges" should include a specific work item on a
"problem statement/observations" vs "needs" e.g. why are the intended
functionality not resolvable with the current Internet/where are the
limitations ?/etc. Such effort would be allow to identify more clearly
the architectural and design goals (if the approach is inductive
documenting set of representative use cases can be considered).

o) the "Identifying architectural challenges resulting from virtual
networks" is the only research topic, the others are either statements
(i) or sub-components of one possible design (ii) or bottom-level
implementation issues (by the way which issues are foreseen beside
interop ?). Henceforth, I suggest to detail the list of research points.

> So let me know your comments and general opinion!

More here below:

> > Draft charter for the Virtual Networks Research Group VNRG) proposal
> > 
> > VERSION: 2009-05-22 0800 UCT
> > 
> > Recent developments in networking are aiming at better utilizing
> > infrastructure
> > in terms of reusing a single physical or logical resource 
> for multiple
> > other
> > network instances, or to aggregate multiple these resources 
> > to obtain more "functionality". 

Which "functionality" ?  

> > These resource can be network components, 
> such as, for
> > example, routers, switches or hosts, and also services, such as, for
> > example,
> > name mapping systems. Typically, this is referred to as Virtual
> > Networks, where
> > a resource is either re-used for multiple networks or multiple
> > resources are
> > aggregated for virtual resource.
> > Important properties of Virtual Networks are i) the level of
> > participation
> > of each resource and ii) the clear separation of any 
> virtual network to
> > all
> > others. Each resource can be sliced so that it can be part 
> of multiple
> > Virtual Networks, but on the other hand does virtualization 
> guarentee
> > the
> > clear separation of each network, so that actions in one 
> network do not
> > affect
> > the operation of any other network.

It would be interesting to discuss/address issue of how a given set
resource units can be shared and dedicated during the same time interval
? from the above, after "aggregation", resources units can be shared
over longer period of time but units are dedicated during shorter
execution time (to ensure "separation"). Overall this raise the question
of resource usage efficiency. Is this more efficient than current
situation ?  

> > However, in the network community, Virtual Networks is a very
> > broad term, ranging from running multiple wave lengths over a fiber,
> > MPLS, virtual routers, to overlay systems. This leads to 
> deployment of
> > single technologies in parts of the Internet or other IP-based
> > networks, but lacks a common understanding of what 
> virtualized networks
> > is causing to IP-based networks, or how Virtual Networks is applied
> > in favorable way.  This leads to the introduction of 
> virtualization in
> > an
> > uncoordinated way between the various players, such as network
> > operators,
> > vendors, service providers and testbed providers (e.g. 
> GENI, FEDERICA,
> > etc)
> > without considerations about the overall impact on the system level.

To which system this last statement refers to ?

> > The Virtual Networks Research Group (VNRG)  provides a forum for
> > interchange of ideas among a group of network researchers with an
> > interest in network virtualization in the context of the 
> Interent and
> > also beyond the current Internet.

It is probably advisable to state "in the context of the Internet and
its evolution" instead of "in the context of the 
Internet and also beyond the current Internet".

> > The RG works on a set of principles of virtual networks 
> that a single
> > physical resource can be re-used by multiple entities with a clear
> > separation
> > between the actions taken by the single entities. Virtualization
> > delivers an
> > abstraction to the user (i.e., not necessarily a human but 
> a service or
> > whatever) referring to the decoupling from the physical 
> resource, i.e.,
> > the abstraction is not bound to a single resource but can 
> be relocated
> > but is a logical structure. Virtualization also offers 
> recursion, i.e.,
> > an
> > already virtualized network can again include virtual networks.
> > 
> > 
> > The group will address the following research challenges:
> > - Consider a whole system for virtualized networks and not 
> only single
> >   components or a limited set of components;
> > - Identifying architectural challenges resulting from 
> virtual networks;
> > - Recursive network management of virtual networks;
> > - Emerging technological and implementation issues.

I already commented on these here above.

Thanks,
-dimitri.
 
> > Web site: http://user.informatik.uni-goettingen.de/~stiemer/nvrg/
> > 
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> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > stiemerling at nw.neclab.eu
> > 
> > NEC Laboratories Europe - Network Research Division
> > NEC Europe Limited | Registered Office: NEC House, 1 Victoria Road,
> > London W3 6BL | Registered in England 2832014
> 
>