Windows-based Active-Router design and evaluation

The paper presents the design and evaluation of an active router (AR) architecture, which provides flexibility for the development of future network services. The hardware is based on a personal computer with 2GHz, Intel P4 processor. The designed AR depends on the use of Windows OS, enhancing the active network encapsulation protocol (ANEP) and the efficient use of C++ programming. Windows OS and C++ language are rarely used in such projects due to complexity of kernel-mode and network-oriented programming requirements. Enhancing ANEP gains novel service composition scheme. Finally, the success of the AR architecture and prototype implementation is evaluated by means of a practical application.