The Programmable Data Plane: Abstractions, Architectures, Algorithms, and Applications

TL;DR

This survey reviews recent advances in programmable data plane technology, discussing architectures, abstractions, algorithms, and applications that enable flexible network packet processing for next-generation services.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of design trends, key architectures, and future research directions in programmable data plane technology.

Findings

Identifies key architectures and abstractions in programmable data planes.

Highlights recent algorithms and applications enabling flexible network processing.

Outlines future research challenges and opportunities in the field.

Abstract

Programmable data plane technology enables the systematic reconfiguration of the low-level processing steps applied to network packets and is a key driver in realizing the next generation of network services and applications. This survey presents recent trends and issues in the design and implementation of programmable network devices, focusing on prominent architectures, abstractions, algorithms, and applications proposed, debated, and realized over the past years. We elaborate on the trends that led to the emergence of this technology and highlight the most important pointers from the literature, casting different taxonomies for the field and identifying avenues for future research.