Development of a Scalable Non-IP/Non-Ethernet Protocol with Learning-Based Forwarding Method

We have developed an experimental non-IP/non-Ethernet protocol called IPEC (IP Ether Chimera). IPEC switches learn IPEC addresses that are structured hierarchically, similar to IP addresses, using an algorithm that extends the learning algorithm of Ethernet switches. IPEC is a simple non-IP network-layer protocol that has features of both Ethernet and IP. Unlike IP, IPEC introduces an address group to manage multiple terminals as a group to make learning of mobile terminals more scalable and more efficient than Ethernet. Because an address group is the unit of learn-ing in IPEC, it is more scalable than Ethernet, and mobile groups can be learned more efficiently. In addition, IPEC tolerates loops in a network as long as a limited number of duplicate packets are allowed, and thus, enable an alternative route against link failures. We have implemented IPEC both on an IPEC-capable switches using LAN cards and on a virtual network using virtualization nodes (VNodes), which have been developed to experiment with non-IP protocols such as IPEC. We show evaluations that the group learning function of IPEC is viable especially for multiple terminals moving together concurrently.