The GENI Book: ExoGENI: A Multi-Domain Infrastructure-as-a-Service Testbed

Springer ISBN-13: 978-3319337678

Abstract

This chapter describes ExoGENI, a multi-domain testbed infrastruc- ture built using the ORCA control framework. ExoGENI links GENI to two advances in virtual infrastructure (IaaS) services outside of GENI: open cloud computing (OpenStack) and dynamic circuit fabrics. It orchestrates a federation of indepen- dent cloud sites and circuit providers through their native IaaS interfaces, and links them to other GENI tools and resources. ExoGENI slivers are instances of basic IaaS resources: variously sized virtual machines, bare-metal nodes, iSCSI block storage volumes, and Layer 2 network links with optional OpenFlow control.

ExoGENI offers a powerful unified hosting platform for deeply networked, multi- domain, multi-site cloud applications. ExoGENI operates its own stitching engine and Layer 2 (L2) network exchanges that work in concert to interconnect the sites with dynamic point-to-point and multi-point L2 links via multiple circuit providers. It also supports stitchports — named attachment points enabling direct L2 connec- tions to resources outside the system’s control.

ExoGENI is seeding a larger, evolving platform linking third-party cloud sites, transport networks, new resource types, and other infrastructure services. It facili- tates real-world deployment of innovative distributed services, leading to a new vi- sion of a future federated, more resilient, and deeply networked cyber-infrastructure. This chapter explores the unique features of ExoGENI and, in particular, how it dif- fers from other GENI testbeds.

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