ULLA-X: a unified programmatic middleware for on-demand network reconfiguration

Software-defined networking provides new tools and offers more opportunities to actively manage large-scale network setups during runtime. However, controlling such installations in a unified and adaptive manner is inherently complex due to the remarkable diversity of management tools. In this paper we propose ULLA-X, a novel middleware that unifies network monitoring and on-demand reconfiguration through a universal network programming language. We introduce ULLA-X architecture and usage concept, which aims at bridging sophisticated network planning with practical network maintenance tools, resembling an “autonomic nervous system” for communication networks. Through its modular design, ULLA-X can be easily integrated into current network setups. While this paper is focused on introducing the ULLA-X concept and framework, we also present initial results from a prototype implementation for National Instruments wireless networked devices.