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What's new?

The recent update of P4-Utils introduced several improvements, affecting also P4-Learning. Indeed P4-Utils is the framework that makes it possible to create virtual networks with P4 devices in them. Hereafter, we list the most important features that were added or modified.

• The application is now fully based on Python 3.
• The legacy JSON configuration file used to start the network has been simplified.
• The network can now be started also using a Python script and the new NetworAPI.
• P4Runtime is currently available with a new API.
• The legacy Thrift API and client have been kept for compytibility reasons.

Notice
P4Runtime is only partially available because of some bugs in the implementation of PI, the gRPC server used by the software switches provided by BMv2. In particular, consider that registers currently cannot be read or written using the P4Runtime API.

All the exercises and examples have been already migrated to the new version and they are now compatible with the new framework. However, should you have customized examples crafted from the old ones, please make sure that you have ported any controller to Python 3 and that the JSON network configuration file is compliant with the new specification.

How to migrate to the new version?

JSON Network Configuration

Consider that obj is the main object contained in the JSON network configuration file (i.e. the p4app.json file contained in the folders of the exercises and examples). Then we have the following major changes between the old and the new JSON network configuration file. Please remember that, because of these changes, old JSON configuration files are not compatible with the new version of P4-Utils.

A more detailed description of the options available with the JSON network configuration file is provided in the official P4-Utils documentation. Check it out!

Python Network Configuration

Beside having the JSON network configuration method, one can start and initialize the network using also the new Python NetworkAPI. Hereafter, we provide a simple example of how to use this new method and a comparison with the legacy JSON configuration file. If you need more information and instructions on how to exploit this functionality, please check out the documentation of P4-Utils.

from p4utils.mininetlib.network_API import NetworkAPI

net = NetworkAPI()

# Network general options
net.setLogLevel('info')
net.enableCli()

# Network definition
net.addP4Switch('s1')
net.setP4CliInput('s1', 's1-commands.txt')
net.addP4Switch('s2')
net.setP4CliInput('s2', 's2-commands.txt')
net.addP4Switch('s3')
net.setP4CliInput('s3', 's3-commands.txt')
net.setP4SourceAll('program.p4')

net.addHost('h1')
net.addHost('h2')
net.addHost('h3')
net.addHost('h4')

net.addLink('h1', 's1', weight=5)
net.setBw('h1', 's1', 20)
net.setDelay('h1', 's1', 20)
net.setMaxQueueSize('h1', 's1', 100)
net.setLoss('h1', 's1', 0.01)
net.addLink('h2', 's2')
net.addLink('s1', 's2')
net.addLink('h3', 's3')
net.addLink('h4', 's3')
net.addLink('s1', 's3')

# Assignment strategy
net.mixed()

# Nodes general options
net.enablePcapDumpAll()
net.enableLogAll()

# Start the network
net.startNetwork()

The Python script shown above is equivalent to the following JSON network configuration file. Indeed, both snippets define the same network topology.

{
  "p4_src": "program.p4",
  "cli": true,
  "pcap_dump": true,
  "enable_log": true,
  "topology": {
    "assignment_strategy": "mixed",
    "links": [
      ["h1", "s1", {"delay":"20ms", "loss": 1, "bw": 20, "max_queue_size": 100, "weight":5}],
      ["h2", "s2"],
      ["s1", "s2"],
      ["h3", "s3"],
      ["h4", "s3"],
      ["s1", "s3"]
    ],
    "hosts": {
      "h1": {
      },
      "h2": {
      },
      "h3": {
      },
      "h4": {
      }
    },
    "switches": {
      "s1": {
        "cli_input": "s1-commands.txt"
      },
      "s2": {
        "cli_input": "s2-commands.txt"
      },
      "s3": {
        "cli_input": "s3-commands.txt"
      }
    }
  }
}