A model-driven configuration management methodology for testbed infrastructures

Testbeds are controlled experimentation platforms where solutions (software, architectures, etc.) can be developed, deployed and tested in an environment that resembles real utilization conditions. This paper describes a model-driven methodology for automatic testbed reconfiguration which solves the problems of manual interaction and inter-testbed scenario reutilization. It is based in a high-level testbed-independent model of the desired scenario (so it can be applied to any testbed in general) which is particularized to testbed-specific scenario models for automatic deployment and management by model-based tools. The paper also details our practical experiences applying the methodology to two quite different use cases: VNUML-based virtual testbeds and the GMPLS-enabled optical network of ADRENALINE testbed® (each one with its own model-based automatic deployment tools), thus assessing the feasibility and generality of the proposed approach.