Implementing service-centric model with P4: A fully-programmable approach

In addition to traditional network services, it is now possible to realize innovative services through the integration of small-form smart devices into our daily lives. Although the set of modern end-user devices have a certain processing power, the execution of the service routines may be handled by remote servers due to battery limitation and other capacity restrictions. The traditional network infrastructure and location- centric communication mechanisms provided by the TCP/IP protocol stack have become inadequate for orchestrating these highly-dynamic operations in a smooth manner. Therefore, it is envisioned that the network structure should be service-oriented to decouple the service instances from their locations. In order to leverage the service-centric model within the network, this study proposes a programmable network solution based on P4. The design of the solution is discussed with the P4 terminology and the implementation details are presented with a demonstrative example to validate the applicability of the solution. The fully-programmable P4 environment enables to facilitate a long-term solution that is compatible with the current network infrastructure and TCP/IP protocol stack.