Welcome to module 1 (January 24 – March 13, 2022)

Learning outcomes for Module 1 – Introduction to Data Plane Programming (DVAD41)

During the initial seven course weeks, the focus will be on familiarizing oneself with the online learning spaces, connecting with peers and facilitators. In addition, you will start reading about the theoretical foundations of data plane programming in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the area. You will get a basic introduction to the P4 language, and can work on three basic labs, that will make you familiar with programming in P4. For that, you will be getting access to a Virtual machine that comes preinstalled with development environment and mininet network emulator. On the discussion slack, you will share expectations, background knowledge, as well as your own experiences and practices.

References for module 1

The following scientific articles will be discussed in the first module:

  1. P. Bosshart et.al.: P4: Programming protocol-independent packet processors
  2. R. Bifulco, G. Rétvári: A Survey on the Programmable Data Plane: Abstractions, Architectures, and Open Problems
  3. P. Vörös et.al: T4P4S: A Target-independent Compiler for Protocol-independent Packet Processors

Click here to get information about how to find and acquire the articles.
Additional reading (for interested) can be found in the following quite extensive and actively updated reading list maintained by Roberto Bifulco, Stefan Schmid and Gábor Rétvári
https://rg0now.github.io/prog_dataplane_reading_list/README.html

Git for the exercises

https://git.cse.kau.se/courses/dvad40/vt19.git

Quizzes, Discussion Posts and assignment for module 1

see activities pages.

Slides and Recordings for module 1

  • View the Slides presented at the Webinar 1.
  • View the Webinar 1 Recording.
  • Overview on Data Plane and Software Defined Networking Slides available here.
  • View the Slides presented at the Webinar 2. Part 1, Part 2.
  • View the Webinar 2 Recording.
  • View a recording of the webinar 3.
  • View the Slides presented at the Webinar 3.

Videos for module 1

Control Plane vs Data Plane | The Ancient Soldier

Control and Data Planes – Georgia Tech – Software Defined Networking

What is software-defined networking (SDN)?

Introduction to the Data Plane

IEEE ICC 2018 Keynote: Nick McKeown, Programmable Forwarding Planes Are Here To Stay

V. Gurevich: Introduction to P4_16, Part 1, P4 Developers Day (P4 D2), Stanford, CA. May 2017

V. Gurevich: Introduction to P4_16, Part 2, P4 Developers Day (P4 D2), Stanford, CA. May 2017

G. Pongracz: Programmable Data Planes for 5G, Kista, December 2017

Watch Robert Soulé (Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)) deliver his Keynote for the ACM SIGCOMM 2018 workshop Netcompute: “The Network is the Computer: Running Distributed Services on Programmable Switches”. Watch the video until around 50 minutes.

Watch Sándor Laki (Communication Networks Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary) talking about T4P4S, a transpiler for P4 switches.

Beeing successful in the course
In the first four weeks of our course, the main focus is on getting ready for open networked learning and participating successfully in Idea Management. It is probably useful to think about what successful participation in a course like this means. What does it mean for you?
The following video provides one example of what success is and how to study in a course like ours: