A novel framework for IP infrastructure virtualization

Future Internet services are characterized by global delivery of heterogeneous network-based applications over high performance dynamic networks. To meet these applications needs, architectural enhancements and changes in the current Internet are essential. However, since there exists multiple stakeholders in the current Internet, it is almost impossible to reach an agreement among them on necessary architecture alterations and improvements. Network virtualization has been proposed as a technology that aims at solving this limitation enabling Infrastructure Providers to partition their physical network infrastructures based on user/application requirements into virtual networks. This paper proposes a novel architectural solution for future IP networks based on the concept of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) framework and core IP network virtualization. Virtual IP network composition and virtual IP infrastructure Marketplace are two key innovative mechanisms, which are proposed in this architecture. The proposed virtual IP network composition instantiates multiple concurrent and isolated virtual networks coexisting over the same underlying physical infrastructure. Each of these network instances has its own distinctive topology and independent control/routing mechanism. The proposed Marketplace performs IP resource brokering between IP infrastructure providers and their users (i.e. service providers) as well as virtual IP network composition. Design and performance evaluation of the required mechanisms along with the functional building blocks of the proposed architecture with focus on Marketplace functionality are presented in this paper.