From model to implementation: a network algorithm programming language

作     者：Jian WANG Jie AN Mingshuai CHEN Naijun ZHAN Lulin WANG Miaomiao ZHANG Ting GAN Jian WANG;Jie AN;Mingshuai CHEN;Naijun ZHAN;Lulin WANG;Miaomiao ZHANG;Ting GAN

作者机构：State Key Laboratory of Computer Science Institute of Software Chinese Academy of Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences School of Software Engineering Tongji University Network Integration Technology Research Department Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. School of Computer Science Wuhan University 

出 版 物：《Science China(Information Sciences)》 (中国科学:信息科学(英文版))

年 卷 期：2020年第63卷第7期

页      面：205-221页

核心收录：

学科分类：08[工学] 0835[工学-软件工程] 081202[工学-计算机软件与理论] 0812[工学-计算机科学与技术（可授工学、理学学位）] 

基　　金：supported partly by Huawei (Grant No. YBN2016030056) supported partly by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant Nos. 61625206, 61732001) supported partly by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant No. 61472279) 

主　　题：software-defined networking(SDN) network algorithm programming language(NAPL) network abstraction 

摘      要：Software-defined networking(SDN) is a revolutionary technology that facilitates network management and enables programmatically efficient network configuration, thereby improving network performance and flexibility. However, as the application programming interfaces(APIs) of SDN are low-level or functionality-restricted, SDN programmers cannot easily keep pace with the ever-changing devices, topologies, and demands of SDN. By deriving motivation from industry practice, we define a novel network algorithm programming language(NAPL) that enhances the SDN framework with a rapid programming flow from topology-based network models to C++ implementations, thus bridging the gap between the limited capability of existing SDN APIs and the reality of practical network management. In contrast to several state-of-the-art languages, NAPL provides a range of critical high-level network programming features:(1) topology-based network modeling and visualization;(2) fast abstraction and expansion of network devices and constraints;(3) a declarative paradigm for the fast design of forwarding policies;(4) a built-in library for complex algorithm implementation;(5) full compatibility with C++ programming; and(6) userfriendly debugging support when compiling NAPL into highly readable C++ codes. The expressiveness and performance of NAPL are demonstrated in various industrial scenarios originating from practical network management.