iStack: A General and Stateful Name-based Protocol Stack for Named Data Networking

Explore a groundbreaking conference talk on iStack, a novel Information-Centric Networking (ICN) protocol stack designed to integrate Named Data Networking (NDN) into operating system kernels. Discover how this 18-minute presentation from NSDI '24 addresses key challenges in implementing a stateful, name-based protocol stack, including in-kernel name resolution, compatibility with address-based architectures, and efficient per-packet state management. Learn about iStack's innovative features, such as its name resolution architecture for network-layer forwarding and local packet demultiplexing, two-layer face system for abstracting address-based network interfaces, and socket-compatible interfaces for maintaining uniformity with current network stacks. Gain insights into iStack's performance improvements, including its 16.25x throughput increase over NDN-testbed forwarders and 46.08% reduction in forwarding latency for cached packets. Understand how this research contributes to the practical development of Information-Centric Networking and its potential impact on future internet architectures.