一种新型的网络体系结构——主动网络

A NOVEL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE ACTIVE NETWORK

主动网络（ａｃｔｉｖｅｎｅｔｗｏｒｋ，以下简称ＡＮ）是一种可编程的网络，用户可以向网络结点插入定制的程序，这个全新的概念，使传统网络从被动的传送字节流向更一般的网络计算引进转变，因此，对传统网络的互操作性、安全性、可伸缩性提出了挑战．主动网络潜在的优点是快速动态定制、配置新的服务，实验新的网络体系结构，新的协议，可以加速网络服务的革新步伐，提高网络的性能，使网络系统更具灵活性、可扩展性．文中综述主动网络产生背景、体系结构、实现技术及研究问题、现状和发展前景．

Active networks are a programmable network and the user can insert customized programs into the switches of the network to perform customized computations on the messages flowing through them. As a novel conception, active network offers changing from carrying bits of traditional networks to a more general computation engine. Active networks challenge the interoperability, security, and scalability of the traditional networks. To compare with traditional network, there are some potential advantages of faster deployment, customization of network services, equipped with new network architectures and protocols, etc.. Active network as a novel network architecture can accelerate the pace of standard of network and improve the performance, flexibility and extensibility of network. Here summarized are the background, architecture, implementation, research issues and current research status and direction of active networks.