Using traffic filtering rules and OpenFlow devices for transparent flow switching and automatic dynamic-circuit creation in hybrid networks

Hybrid networks that offer both the traditional IP packet forwarding and a virtual dynamic circuit service are becoming widely available in many backbones. The benefits of this approach are well-known and some high-volume traffic applications, e.g., high-energy physics and astronomy, can obtain significant improvements by using circuits. However, end-users still depend on specific-purpose applications or the full assistance of network operators to connect their data sources and sinks to circuits. We present a general-purpose system that transparently connects end-users network infrastructure to both services of a hybrid network. By employing high-level filtering rules, similar to conventional IP packet filters, end-users can choose which part of their traffic must flow through circuits and which part must continue flowing through the traditional forwarding. These rules are applied to OpenFlow devices, which properly switch the flows between the forwarding services and automatically trigger the creation of a circuit as necessary. We have evaluated our system in the laboratory and in the backbone of the Brazilian NREN (RNP). The results illustrate the expected gains while using dynamic circuits and also validate the efficiency and robustness of our system. We also show the advantage of using our system in comparison with a traditional middleware for circuit creation.