Self-aware networks: The cognitive packet network and its performance

Abstract

This article is a summary description of the cognitive packet network (CPN) which is an early example of a completely software-defined network (SDN) and of a fully implemented self-aware computer network (SAN). CPN has been completely implemented and is used in numerous experiments.CPNis able to observe its own internal performance as well as the interfaces of the external systems that it interacts with, in order to modify its behaviour so as to adaptively achieve objectives, such as discovering services for its users, improving their quality of service (QoS), reducing its own energy consumption, compensating for components that fail or malfunction, detecting and reacting to intrusions, and defending itself against attacks.