RINA is a clean-slate networking architecture that models the network as a hierarchy of applications interconnected across distributed application frameworks (DAFs). It uses a single layer approach with two protocols for data transfer and application management. RINA addresses many of the goals for 5G networks, such as facilitating dense device deployments, reducing service creation times, and providing secure, reliable connectivity. The document proposes using RINA to provide the infrastructure for network function virtualization, such as through service chains, VNF connectivity and resiliency, and software-based management. This could optimize fabric usage within network points of presence while being compatible with current IP-based network deployments.

1. RINA as a Clean-Slate Approach
to Software Networks
Diego R. López
Telefónica I+D
@ictpristine

2. RINA in a Nutshell
• Recursive Inter-Network Architecture
• “Networking is IPC… and only IPC”
• The network is modelled as the interconnection of applications in different
scopes, the DAFs
• One single layer, recursively repeated as needed
• Specialized DAFs, that become DIFs
• Two protocols
• Data transfer, with a consistent QoS model (delta-t)
• Application (layer) management
• Three types of nodes
• Hosts
• Interior routers
• Border routers
• Addressing is local to each scope
• No global address space is necessary
• More details at www.pouzinsociety.org or csr.bu.edu/rina
@ictpristine 2

3. How Does It Look Like
• All DIFs offer the same services through their API and have the same components and structure
• Not all the DIFs operate over the same scope and environment nor do they have to provide the same level of service
• Invariant parts (mechanisms) and variant parts (policies) are separated in different components of the architecture
@ictpristine 3

4. RINA and the 5G Goals - I
• The hardest challenges for 5G are related to defining an
adaptive network architecture able of supporting a wide
range of device capabilities, multiple connectivity models and
heterogeneous application areas with their specific
requirements.
• Reducing the average service creation time cycle from 90
hours to 90 minutes
• The IPC model offers the same unified API at all the network
layers
• New applications can be quickly integrated at any logical network
layer
• The network stack is highly configurable via policies. Just change
as much or as little as to suit the scenario
• Creating a secure, reliable and dependable Internet with a
“zero perceived” downtime for services provision
• Integrated security, configurable addressing, and routing resiliency
• QoS management, mobility and multi-homing are built in,
distributed within each layer and without a single point of failure.
@ictpristine 4

5. RINA and the 5G Goals - II
• Facilitating very dense deployments of wireless
communication links to connect over 7 trillion wireless
devices serving over 7 billion people
• The flat nature of IP (v4 and v6) addressing means routing tables
have to grow to accommodate accessible devices (and the people
operating them) and mobility by tunnelling
• The recursive layer model results in smaller layer routing tables
• Mobility is just an update of a lower layer address.
• No tunnels, no workarounds for the IP shortcomings, and proper
management of heterogeneity
• Re-think how mobility, resiliency, multi-homing and routing are
managed in an elegant, efficient, predictable and comprehensive
way
• 5G networks will rely heavily on Software Networks (NFV,
SDN…)
• Let’s explore a RINA approach to them
@ictpristine 5

6. A Few Challenges for
Software Networks
• Support the performance requirements of dataplane
workloads
• Optimization beyond current cloud practices
• Adaptive security policy verification
• Security beyond physical access and links
• Smarter forwarding
• Go beyond the 5-tuple
• Enhanced resiliency by elasticity
• Availability beyond overprovisioned failover
• Network functions become applications and services at
the same time
• Support for recursive service and components beyond
current overlay techniques
• Find a proper integration of different technologies
@ictpristine 6

7. Starting to Use RINA to
Address All These Challenges
• Provide the infrastructural network support for NFV
• Service chains via SFC
• VNF internal connections
• VNF resiliency mechanisms
• Full software-based management and control
• Circumscribe it to NFV PoPs and the provision of
IP-based services
• Facilitate service provisioning and stability
• In a compatible way with current network deployments
• Demonstrating an evolutionary path
@ictpristine 7

8. RINA on the NFV Framework
@ictpristine 8
NFV Infrastructure
End
Point
End
Point
E2E Network Service
Compute Storage NetworkHW Resources
Virtualization LayerVirtualization SW
Virtual
Compute
Virtual
Storage
Virtual
Network
Virtual Resources
Logical Abstractions
Network Service
VNF VNF VNF
VNF VNF
Logical Links
VNF Instances
VNF VNF VNF
SW Instances
VNF : Virtualized Network Function
VNF
RINA support for
SFC and pooling
RINA support for
NFV Forwarding
Graphs via SFC
Single PoP
Multiple tenants
PoP fabric
network
untouched
Optimized fabric
usage

9. A RINA NFV Deployment
@ictpristine 9
SFC Node
(VNF)
SFC Node
(VNF)
SFC Egress Node
(VNF/PNF)
SFC Ingress Node
(VNF/PNF)
VNFCI
Service Chain DAF
Chain DIFIPCP IPCP IPCP IPCP
VNFCI VNFCI VNFCI VNFCI VNFCI
VNF DAF
VNF DIFIPCP IPCP
Transport DC & shim DIFsIPCPIPCP IPCP
VIM
VNFM(s)
NFVO
 Service chain DAF & DIF, managed by NFVO – One per each VNFFG
 VNF DAF & DIF, managed by VNFM(s) – One per each VNF – IPCPs at the DIF provide pooling
 Transport (and shim) DIFs, managed by the VIM – As required by SC and VNF DIFs

10. Design Patterns
• The MANO DAF
• Supporting recursive aggregation at the orchestration stack
• Consistent policy-based orchestration at all layers
• Through an object-oriented approach
• An adaptive, recursive “control plane”
• Quotes above are essential!
• Simplified deployment
• Beyond current network overlay technologies that require specific
cross-layer bindings
• Dynamic updates, migration, scaling…
• Infrastructure network properties such as security, topology
verification, allocation, load balancing, failure protection… are
directly enforced by the RINA policies
• Network components become reusable
• New service design patterns become possible, even for the current
Internet
@ictpristine 10

11. And Here We Stand
• A full RINA open-source stack implemented by the IRATI
project
• Including all required shim DIFs
• A RINA SDK and management framework being
implemented by PRISTINE
• irati.github.io
• PRISTINE includes an architecture for direct application to
cloud and NFV use cases
• Requirements for the different
policies have been identified
• A first experimental scenario
defined and being validated
• Some other proposals in
the line
• Some of them directly
addressing 5G
• And (much) more to come
• Let’s dare think big to address big problems
• Let’s apply theoretical foundations
@ictpristine 11