۱- Introduction

۲- Related work

۳- Flow-aware multi-topology adaptive routing

۴- Implementation environment

۵- Router components

۶- Tests of the FAMTAR router

۷- Conclusion

References

Abstract

Flow-Aware Multi-Topology Adaptive Routing (FAMTAR) is a new approach to multipath and adaptive routing in IP networks which enables automatic use of alternative paths when the primary one becomes congested. It provides more efficient network resource utilization and higher quality of transmission compared to standard IP routing. However, thus far it has only been evaluated through simulations. In this paper we share our experiences from building a real-time FAMTAR router and present results of its tests in a physical network. The results are in line with those obtained previously through simulations and they open the way to implementation of a production grade FAMTAR router.

Introduction

FAMTAR (Flow-Aware Multi-Topology Adaptive Routing) is a new approach to routing in IP networks, which provides multipath and adaptive capabilities. It is based on flows, notion currently incorporated in many architectures, including Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Unlike many SDN solutions, FAMTAR is a fully distributed mechanism and does not depend on a central entity. This is a key characteristic, as it significantly improves scalability and resilience. Our aim was to test the efficiency of FAMTAR in real network conditions and validate the results obtained earlier through network simulations. In order to do that, we needed to build a FAMTAR router. In this paper we present our experiences in building a FAMTAR router.