The NetScript active network system

NetScript is a language system for dynamically programming and deploying protocol software in an active network. NetScript programs are packet flow processors composed out of dataflow components. They can be dynamically dispatched to remote nodes, composed with installed software, and executed to enhance node functions. NetScript has proven useful for implementing a variety of practical network systems including Internet protocol (IP) routers, firewalls, protocol analyzers, traffic shapers, load balancers, various queuing disciplines, intrusion detection systems, Web transport protocols, and IP telephony systems. The paper illustrates the principal concepts of NetScript with an example application, an active IP router that is dynamically extended to provide firewall protection.