Active and Programmable Networks

Abstract

c__. I Next- eneration networks must be capable of supporting a multitude of service and quickly adapted over a common heterogeneous physical infrastructure, accord- ing to varying and sometimes conflictin customer requirements. In this context, net- work management must become more fyexible in order to cope with these emerging conditions. More specifically, new management architectures must offer service providers the freedom to mana e their services according to their own policies and seamlessly extend management?unctionality os the only way to react to the introduction of new services. Based on a new business model that describes such an environment, we propose o policy-based management architecture that is extensible and operates in an active and programmable network. This management architecture is part of a new network architecture that was developed in the FAIN European Union research aid development IST project. provi B ers that exploit an environment in which services are dynamically deployed