Dynamic Packet Processors A new abstraction for router extensibility

The history of the Internet is that of rapid change and adaptability. The simple IP service model and the informal standardization process have fostered rapid evolution of systems and services. However, as the Internet has transformed from an academic playground to an essential commercial infrastructure the service model and the standardization process have become more complex. While outsourcing and optimizations are driving services into the network, the IETF is increasingly the battleground of vendors. Consequently, introducing new services to the Internet has become increasingly complicated. Active and programmable networking is an effort to reclaim the flexibility of the early Internet and reduce the need for