September 2000

New World Routing -- Open IP

BY TONY RYBCZYNSKI

OUTGROWING OLD WORLD ROUTING
We are taking leave of routing as we've known it. Instead of the contenting ourselves with the status quo, we approach open IP environments, which are all about making IP networking software highly modular and scalable, so that it may be embedded into various devices and information appliances.

This approach marks a shift from the familiar vertical routing model. The old model resembled an earlier marketing approach, one used by Wang in the 70s for word processing. Wang's vertical model had limited flexibility, constrained innovation, and exhibited poor price/performance. Ultimately, the vertical model couldn't leverage technology developments to satisfy the demands of end users.

The vertical routing model is now being replaced by a horizontal routing model, and the new model heralds a transition similar to the one instigated by PC-based word processing applications. The new routing model takes advantage of distributed and open multi-platform systems. The open IP approach, like the PC approach, frees users from proprietary systems. Open IP systems promise relief to users of bundled proprietary routers, users weary of the old-world routing experience: yearly price increases hovering around 5 percent; labor-intensive planning, support, troubleshooting, and provisioning required by legacy router-based networks; and ongoing (and high) operations costs.

The industry is shifting from a model largely based on "IP in routers" to one based on delivering IP networking functionality -- including routing -- on a wide variety of platforms. Hundreds of vendors are embedding routing and other IP functionality into their products (from processors to real-time operating systems) and services, providing many new opportunities beyond those available with end-point TCP/IP protocol stacks. For example, network processor manufacturers, driven to differentiate themselves in an increasingly commoditized market, are adding value by doing such things as embedding IP routing into their processors. Now, it is common to hear of a network processor repositioned as a system-on-a-chip, or SOC.

What's included under IP networking software? Generally IP routing software encompasses three main areas:

• Routing and signaling: Routing protocols such as RIP, OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP-4; multicast protocols such as DVMRP, MOSPF, and PIM SM/DM; and signaling protocols such as RSVP, H.323, and RTCP.
• Authentication, security, encapsulation, and tunneling: Numerous security and authentication protocols (such as IPSec, PKI, and Radius); encapsulation protocols that allow IP to ride on logical and physical links (for example, RFC 1483/1490 for IP on ATM and frame relay, respectively); and tunneling protocols that allow traffic to securely cross the Internet (L2TP, IPSec, MPLS).
• Network and policy management: Network management protocols such as SNMP, and policy management protocols such as COPS.

ASSESSING NEW WORLD ROUTING
How do open IP environments differ from today's traditional routing technology? Open IP environments are different in several ways. First, open IP environment architectures are highly modular and scalable in their design, in contrast to traditional monolithic architectures found on many router products today. Second, open IP environments are designed to enable the entire Internet development community to design and build value-added application modules. Third, open IP environments are completely independent of the underlying computing environment, including the operating system and processor.

Taken together, what do all these differences mean? They add up to open IP environments having a key advantage: The assurance of a substantial reduction in the time and cost associated with product development and the subsequent total cost of ownership (TCO). In contrast, with classic routers, TCO grows with each new software release.

The unavoidable TCO increases are largely driven by the maintenance costs of operating software -- a significant problem that plagues all monolithic IP operating systems in use today. With their ability to ride atop a myriad of hardware platforms and industry-standard operating systems, open IP environments are rapidly winning the favor of a growing number of external system developers.

EMBRACING NEW WORLD ROUTING
Open IP environments are portable, real-time software protocol suites. Their main objective is to provide interoperability and high performance via open, modular, and scalable software components that enable hardware, software, and systems vendors to rapidly develop high-quality, Internet-enabled devices.

Complementing the application suite is a platform-independent framework, which enables portability of the application suite across hardware platforms and operating systems with minimal application impact. The applications and framework can be used to construct Internet-enabled products in many market segments, including mobility, consumer electronics, servers, and IP networking (to name just a few).

How do open IP environments enable the high-performance implementation of IP networking protocols? There are several ways: reduced complexity of the software (which enhances robustness); improved implementation of algorithms (which enhances performance); and improved design of modules (which enhances scalability).

At the next level of detail, open IP environments are software solutions that provide IP communications building blocks that sit between the operating system and the applications/services layer of any Internet-enabled device. An open IP environment is a single framework, consisting of four functional levels or planes with well-defined interfaces, each set containing a set of modular components. The functional planes are as follow:

• Common system: This plane provides interfaces to a wide range of operating systems and delivers high-performance computing services for demanding, real-time environments. Services include thread, fault and memory management, and inter-process communication.
• Common forwarding: This plane provides interfaces to multiple packet forwarding mechanisms, including hardware, software, and hybrid platforms.
• Common control: This plane provides plug-and-play access for all IP modules, such as modules for high-performance implementation of the OSPF routing protocol, tunneling protocols such as L2TP, and call management functions such as RSVP and H.323.
• Common management: This plane provides open standard interfaces for policy-based management (that is, COPS), command line interface (CLI), network management based on SNMP, IP accounting, and so on.

The "openness" of open IP environments may be realized in several ways. For example, thanks to the system services and forwarding planes, the open IP environment may run on a wide variety of computing platforms (such as UNIX, Linux, Windows, VxWorks, Chorus, and Solaris) and chipsets (such as those from Intel, Motorola, IBM, and Sitera). Another way to realize openness is through open standard interfaces, which facilitate access to applications and services. Also, application development may benefit from well-documented application process interfaces (APIs). And, finally, the familiar CLI may ease programming and administration.

OPEN IP: THE ROAD TO VALUE
What value does an open IP environment have for end customers? It will accelerate the commoditization of routers, and it will facilitate the deployment of new and more cost-effective networks. It will also reduce capital and ongoing operating costs with respect to traditional proprietary, monolithic router networks, even while it provides for the interoperability of multiple services (voice, video, data) across multiple platforms.

An open IP environment will also stimulate the rapid introduction of innovative services, applications, and devices, and generate new revenue streams by Internet-enabling (and managing) new information appliances. This outburst of creativity will lead to an accelerating open market for a richer choice of value-added applications for end users.

What can we expect to see? We will see communication servers distributed across the network providing application, information distribution, and security services. Already, these servers are being accepted as part of the network. New Windows NT small office systems are being introduced that provide integrated IP routing, telephony, and application functionality.

On a different front, a diverse set of hand-held devices are expected to swamp the market and meet the business need for mobility. These include devices based on the PalmOS, the Pocket OS, and JAVA, as well as new hand-helds that combine telephone and PDA functionality.

In the embedded processor market, we will see a proliferation of Internet-based remote telemetry devices for remote health monitoring, security, utility metering, and fleet tracking. In the consumer electronics market, we already see the rapid introduction of DSL (Digital Subscriber Loop) modems and the emergence of new types of Internet appliances and home network controllers.

CONCLUSION
Thanks to open IP environments, we may move beyond legacy routing and the limitations inherent in monolithic, proprietary approaches. By embracing open IP systems, we seize an enabling technology that enhances the speed, performance, quality, and reliability of networking and networked applications. With open IP, we may capitalize on unprecedented opportunities to add value and create new applications.

Tony Rybczynski is director of strategic marketing and technologies for Nortel Networks' Enterprise Solutions unit. E-mail questions or comments to [email protected].

[ Return To The September 2000 Table Of Contents ]