P4MT: Multi-Tenant Support Prototype for International P4 Testbed

Abstract

To realize P4 language benefits: "Protocol Independent, Target Independent, Field Reconfigurable" [1] in a network research and development environment, a few P4 research institutions around the world formed a partnership to design and implement the international P4 Experimental Networks (Figure 1). The participating institutions can share distributed P4 resources over international research and education networks, as well as initiate international P4 research collaboration projects. Initial network scenarios in this research testbed are Software-Defined Network Exchanges (SDXs), Network and Cloud Testbed Networks, Science Networks, and Campus Research Networks. These four network scenarios require multi-tenant support. Current P4Runtime specifications include a Multi-Controller design for twofold: Control Plane Partition and Redundancy [2]. However, the current P4Runtime does not implement Control Plane partition to support multi-tenant service on a switch. This project modified the current design to support a provider and multiple tenant model for the four international P4 Experimental Networks (i-P4EN) scenarios and other applications.