OpenNetVM: Flexible, high performance NFV (Demo)

Network Function Virtualization promises to enable dynamic management of software-based network functions. We envision a dynamic and flexible network that can support a smarter data plane than just simple switches that forward packets. This network architecture supports complex stateful rourtng of flows where processing by network functions (NFs) can transform packet data, customized on a per-flow basis, as it moves between end points. This demo will present OpenNetVM, a highly efficient packet processing framework that greatly simplifies the development of network functions, as well as their management and optimization. OpenNetVM runs network functions in lightweight Docker containers that start in less than a second. The OpenNetVM platform manager provides load balancing, flexible flow management, and service name abstractions. OpenNetVM uses DPDK for high performance I/O, and efficiently routes packets through dynamically created service chains. We will demonstrate how the research community can easily build new network functions and rapidly deploy them to see their effectiveness in high performance network environments.