REPUTATION-BASED INSTRUCTION PROCESSING OVER AN INFORMATION CENTRIC NETWORK

• US 20160043940A1
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mahadevan, Priya, Scott, Glenn C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/566 Routing instructions carried by the data packet, e.g. active networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

A packet-forwarding network node can process a programmable packet based on a reputation value for a name prefix to perform a customized operation on a local resource. The programmable packet can include a name prefix, and a header comprising reputation criteria for the packet'"'"'s name prefix and one or more resource fields. A resource field can include instructions that perform an operation on a corresponding resource of the network node. When the network node receives the programmable packet, the node determines a reputation value for the name prefix at the local node, and compares this reputation value to the packet'"'"'s reputation criteria. If the reputation value for the name prefix at the local node satisfies the reputation criteria, the node proceeds to execute the one or more instructions of the respective resource field to perform the operation on the corresponding resource.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a packet by a network device, wherein the packet includes a name or a name prefix, and includes a header comprising one or more resource fields, and wherein a respective resource field includes one or more instructions that perform an operation on a corresponding resource of the computing device;

analyzing the packet to determine a reputation criteria for the packet'"'"'s name prefix;

determining a reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device; and

responsive to determining that the reputation value for the name prefix satisfies the reputation criteria, executing the one or more instructions of the respective resource field to perform the operation on the corresponding resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reputation criteria includes at least one of:

a minimum reputation value;

a maximum reputation value;

a range of reputation values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device involves computing a reputation value for a collection of Content Objects associated with the name prefix, which have been received or cached by the local network device;

and

wherein the reputation value includes at least one of;

a median reputation value of the collection;

a mean reputation value of the collection;

a highest reputation value of the collection;

a lowest reputation value of the collection; and

a range of reputation values for the collection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet also includes reputation information for the name prefix, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining an interface from which the packet arrived; and

storing the packet'"'"'s reputation information in association with the name prefix and the interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the reputation information includes at least one of:

a reputation value;

a set of attribute values; and

a set of attribute weights.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet also includes remote reputation information for Content Objects of the name prefix from the local network device, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining whether a reputation value obtained or computed from the remote reputation information is lower than the local reputation value for the name prefix;

computing a difference between the local reputation value for the name prefix and the remote-computed reputation value; and

performing a remedial action responsive to the reputation value from the remote reputation information being lower than the local reputation value, and the computed difference being greater than a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the remedial action involves at least one of:

diagnosing a reason for the difference in reputation values;

sending a face'"'"'s reputation information for the name prefix via the face to inform a neighboring node of its reputation value for the name prefix; and

adjusting QoS parameters to receive content associated with the name prefix from a face with a highest reputation value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource includes at least one of:

a forwarding information base (FIB);

a pending interest table (PIT);

a content store (CS);

a processing unit;

a memory;

a virtual memory;

a storage device;

a network interface; and

a virtual interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction includes at least one of:

a create instruction for creating a new entry in the resource;

a read instruction for reading an entry of the resource;

an update instruction for updating an existing entry of the resource; and

a delete instruction for deleting an existing entry of the resource.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a packet that includes a name or a name prefix, and includes a header comprising one or more resource fields, wherein a respective resource field includes one or more instructions that perform an operation on a corresponding resource of the computing device;

analyzing the packet to determine a reputation criteria for the packet'"'"'s name prefix;

determining a reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device; and

responsive to determining that the reputation value for the name prefix satisfies the reputation criteria, executing the one or more instructions of the respective resource field to perform the operation on the corresponding resource.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the reputation criteria includes at least one of:

a minimum reputation value;

a maximum reputation value;

a range of reputation values.

12. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining the reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device involves computing a reputation value for a collection of Content Objects associated with the name prefix, which have been received or cached by the local network device;

and

wherein the reputation value includes at least one of;

a median reputation value of the collection;

a mean reputation value of the collection;

a highest reputation value of the collection;

a lowest reputation value of the collection; and

a range of reputation values for the collection.

13. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the packet also includes reputation information for the name prefix, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining an interface from which the packet arrived; and

storing the packet'"'"'s reputation information in association with the name prefix and the interface.

14. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the packet also includes remote reputation information for Content Objects of the name prefix from the local network device, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining whether a reputation value obtained or computed from the remote reputation information is lower than the local reputation value for the name prefix;

computing a difference between the local reputation value for the name prefix and the remote-computed reputation value; and

performing a remedial action responsive to the reputation value from the remote reputation information being lower than the local reputation value, and the computed difference being greater than a predetermined threshold.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein performing the remedial action involves at least one of:

diagnosing a reason for the difference in reputation values;

sending a face'"'"'s reputation information for the name prefix via the face to inform a neighboring node of its reputation value for the name prefix; and

adjusting QoS parameters to receive content associated with the name prefix from a face with a highest reputation value.

16. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the resource includes at least one of:

a forwarding information base (FIB);

a pending interest table (PIT);

a content store (CS);

a processing unit;

a memory;

a virtual memory;

a storage device;

a network interface; and

a virtual interface.

17. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction includes at least one of:

a create instruction for creating a new entry in the resource;

a read instruction for reading an entry of the resource;

an update instruction for updating an existing entry of the resource; and

a delete instruction for deleting an existing entry of the resource.

18. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors storing instructions stored that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform a method comprising;

receiving a packet that includes a name or a name prefix, and includes a header comprising one or more resource fields, wherein a respective resource field includes one or more instructions that perform an operation on a corresponding resource of the computing device;

analyzing the packet to determine a reputation criteria for the packet'"'"'s name prefix;

determining a reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device; and

responsive to determining that the reputation value for the name prefix satisfies the reputation criteria, executing the one or more instructions of the respective resource field to perform the operation on the corresponding resource.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the reputation criteria includes at least one of:

a minimum reputation value;

a maximum reputation value;

a range of reputation values.

20. The computing system of claim 18, wherein determining the reputation value for the name prefix at the local network device involves computing a reputation value for a collection of Content Objects associated with the name prefix, which have been received or cached by the local network device;

and

wherein the reputation value includes at least one of;

a median reputation value of the collection;

a mean reputation value of the collection;

a highest reputation value of the collection;

a lowest reputation value of the collection; and

a range of reputation values for the collection.

21. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the packet also includes reputation information for the name prefix, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining an interface from which the packet arrived; and

storing the packet'"'"'s reputation information in association with the name prefix and the interface.

22. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the packet also includes remote reputation information for Content Objects of the name prefix from the local network device, and wherein executing the one or more instructions involves:

determining whether a reputation value obtained or computed from the remote reputation information is lower than the local reputation value for the name prefix;

computing a difference between the local reputation value for the name prefix and the remote-computed reputation value; and

performing a remedial action responsive to the reputation value from the remote reputation information being lower than the local reputation value, and the computed difference being greater than a predetermined threshold.

23. The computing system of claim 22, wherein performing the remedial action involves at least one of:

diagnosing a reason for the difference in reputation values;

sending a face'"'"'s reputation information for the name prefix via the face to inform a neighboring node of its reputation value for the name prefix; and

adjusting QoS parameters to receive content associated with the name prefix from a face with a highest reputation value.

24. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the resource includes at least one of:

a forwarding information base (FIB);

a pending interest table (PIT);

a content store (CS);

a processing unit;

a memory;

a virtual memory;

a storage device;

a network interface; and

a virtual interface.

25. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the instruction includes at least one of:

a create instruction for creating a new entry in the resource;

a read instruction for reading an entry of the resource;

an update instruction for updating an existing entry of the resource; and

a delete instruction for deleting an existing entry of the resource.