Model checking programmable router configurations

Authors:
Luca Zanolin;Cecilia Mascolo;Wolfgang Emmerich
Affiliations:
Google UK Ltd, London, UK;Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK;Dept. of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
Venue:
Graph transformations and model-driven engineering
Year:
2010

Citing 10
Cited 0

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Abstract

Programmable networks offer the ability to customize router behaviour at run time, thus increasing flexibility of network administration. Programmable network routers are configured using domain-specific languages. In this paper, we describe our approach to defining the syntax and semantics of such a domain-specific language. The ability to evolve router programs dynamically creates potential for misconfigurations. By exploiting domain-specific abstractions, we are able to translate router configurations into Promela and validate them using the Spin model checker, thus providing reasoning support for our domain-specific language. To evaluate our approach we use our configuration language to express the IETF's Differentiated Services specification and show that industrial-sized DiffServ router configurations can be validated using Spin on a standard PC.