Enhancing the SRv6 Network Programming Model Through the Definition of the Maximize Throughput Behavior

The Network Programming model of SRv6 allows the creation of network programs that can be enforced over traffic flows entering a Segment Routing (SR) domain. A network program is a list of instructions that must be applied on a packet traversing the SR domain. Instructions, also known as behaviors, currently available in SRv6 are divided into two main categories: i) topological (e.g., send the packet over the shortest path), and ii) service based (e.g., duplicate the packet). In this paper we introduce a new behavior for the SRv6 Network Programming model, named maximize Throughput (max_T). This function allows to steer an incoming traffic flow toward the egress node over the path that currently guarantees the highest throughput for the flow. The proposed max_T behavior has been implemented over programmable switches, and its effectiveness in improving the performance experienced by flows asking for its application is evaluated through experiments performed over an emulated environment. The preliminary result shows that a 23% reduction of the transfer time for a file over the SR domain is achieved when the max_T behavior is used.