Dependable Private Virtual Networks

Abstract

The challenge is to build computer networks, based on COTS, that are inexpensive, scalable and dependable. Virtual Private Networks are created by composing a complex set of hardware and software components that are heterogeneous and subject to continuous upgrade, replacement, and scaling their numbers. The networks are too complex to model formally, and reducing the failure rate of individual components may not substantially reduced the rate of overall system failures due to unexpected interactions between components. One may consider that failures are inevitable. The purpose of this research is to specify, implement and validate a novel method (NetRec) for reconfiguring arbitrary network topologies in a user-transparent way, when anomalies (cyber attacks, performance failures, viruses, node and link failures) occur. The correctness (termination and liveness) of NetRec has been proven. NetRec complexity, in terms of exchange messages, has been obtained. Virtual Testbed, based on COTS, for validating DPVN has been implemented and seamless task execution for a real-live application (data compression) has been demonstrated on different platforms - Ethernet and System Area Network (ServerNet 2.)