Using the NetFPGA in the Open Network Laboratory

The Open Network Laboratory is an Internet-accessible net-work testbed that provides access to a large set of hetero-geneous networking resources for research and educational pursuits. Those resources now include the NetFPGA. ONL makes it easy for NetFPGA users to integrate multiple NetF-PGAs into heterogeneous experimental networks, using a simple graphical user interface. The testbed software infras-tructure automatically manages all of the details, including mapping the user’s topology to actual hardware and time-sharing of resources via a standard reservation mechanism. The inclusion of NetFPGAs into the testbed allows users just getting started with NetFPGAs to conduct interesting research quickly without the need to set up and manage the NetFPGAs themselves. For more experienced users, the testbed provides an easy path to larger and more diverse experimental configurations. 1