How to Begin Implement SD WAN Protocol in NS3

To implement Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) protocol utilising NS3, we can design or prolong the components for replicating SD-WAN functionalities. NS3 doesn’t directly support for SD-WAN execution, but we can create custom models for control and data planes. Below is a simple method to get started:

Steps to Begin Implement SD WAN Protocol in NS3

Step 1: Understand SD-WAN and NS3 Requirements

1. Key Features of SD-WAN Protocols:
   • Dynamic path selection according to the application needs or QoS parameters.
   • It supports WAN optimization, traffic shaping, and load balancing.
   • Centralized control plane for policy management.
   • It offers numerous connection types such as MPLS, broadband, LTE, and so on.
2. NS3 Essentials:
   • NS3 assists modular development that permitting new protocol executions.
   • Make known about the InternetStack, Ipv4RoutingProtocol, and Application classes to integrating the SD-WAN functionalities.

Step 2: Install and Set Up NS3

1. Install NS3:
   • We can download and install the NS3 environment on the system:

git clone https://gitlab.com/nsnam/ns-3-dev.git

cd ns-3-dev

./ns3 configure –enable-examples –enable-tests

./ns3 build

1. Verify Installation: Execute a simple instance script to make sure that correct installation:

./ns3 run examples/tutorial/first

Step 3: Define the SD-WAN Protocol Scope

Focus on the SD-WAN protocol simulation scope:

• Control Plane: For routing and strategies, we need to centralized decision-making.
• Data Plane: Effective packet forwarding according to the strategies.
• Key Features: Traffic optimization, QoS management, dynamic routing, and so on.

Step 4: Design the Architecture

An SD-WAN protocol needs:

1. Controller Module:
   • It is a centralized SD-WAN controller application.
   • Executes policy distribution and routing decision-making.
   • Interacts with edge devices to leverage the custom protocol for instance simplified gRPC, REST-like messages.
2. Edge Device Module:
   • Edge devices like routers/switches, which apply policies that are inherited from the controller.
   • It executes the dynamic path selection, failover, and monitoring.
3. Communication Protocol:
   • Create a communication protocol for controller-device interaction.

Step 5: Implement the SD-WAN Protocol

Step 5.1: Create the SD-WAN Controller

1. Define the Controller Class: Make a new application class for the controller:

class SdWanController : public Application {

public:

static TypeId GetTypeId(void);

SdWanController();

virtual ~SdWanController();

void SetPolicy(std::string policy);

void CommunicateWithEdgeDevices();

private:

virtual void StartApplication();

virtual void StopApplication();

};

1. Implement Control Logic:
   • It supports to manage the path selection, traffic shaping, and policy delivery.
2. Integrate with the Simulation: Integrate the controller within simulation to one of the nodes.

Step 5.2: Create SD-WAN Edge Devices

1. Define Edge Device Class: We will need to prolong the Ipv4RoutingProtocol or utilize a custom application class:

class SdWanEdgeDevice : public Ipv4RoutingProtocol {

public:

static TypeId GetTypeId(void);

void ReceivePolicy(std::string policy);

void ForwardPackets();

private:

void SelectBestPath();

};

1. Implement Packet Forwarding Logic:
   • According to the received strategies, manage the packet routing.
   • Observe the performance of connections like latency, throughput for dynamic modifications.
2. Simulate Failover and Redundancy:
   • Integrate the failover logic, making sure redundancy of simulation.

Step 5.3: Establish Communication

1. Protocol for Communication:
   • Describe a basic custom protocol like TLVs or JSON-like strings for control data exchange.
   • Make use of UDP or TCP sockets for message replace among the controller and edge devices.
2. Example Message Exchange:
   • Controller transmits a routing strategy toward the edge devices.
   • Edge devices allow and apply the routing policies.

Step 6: Simulate SD-WAN Network

1. Set Up Network Topology:
   • Link nodes to denote the WAN connections utilising PointToPointHelper, CsmaHelper, or WifiHelper.
2. Add Applications:
   • We can set up the SdWanController on one node.
   • Install SdWanEdgeDevice at other nodes.
3. Define Simulation Script: For instance:

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

NodeContainer nodes;

nodes.Create(4);

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Mbps”));

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“5ms”));

NetDeviceContainer devices = p2p.Install(nodes.Get(0), nodes.Get(1));

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.Install(nodes);

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign(devices);

Ptr<SdWanController> controller = CreateObject<SdWanController>();

nodes.Get(0)->AddApplication(controller);

controller->SetPolicy(“Route via Node 2 if latency < 10ms”);

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

Step 7: Validate and Optimize

1. Validation:
   • Monitor the performance indicators such as latency, packet loss, and throughput with FlowMonitor.
   • Confirm the behavior of protocol in diverse scenarios such as link failure.
2. Optimization:
   • Make sure that scalability for large topologies.
   • Execute further aspects such as traffic encryption or compression.

Step 8: Document and Extend

• Detail the execution and assumptions.
• We want to prolong the protocol including aspects such as dynamic VPNs, application-aware routing, or SD-WAN analytics.

By applying NS3 environment, we performed an extensive implementation and validation of SD WAN Protocol using execution process. If additional data is required, we are prepared to deliver it.