A Framework for Network Software

Abstract: This thesis deals with the creation of a library that can be used in the construction of network protocols. The library provides functions that are useful for organizing protocols as stacks of layers and for processing packets. The thesis implements the main concepts of the special purpose language, Morpheus [2]. Morpheus was designed by Mark Bert Abbott at the University of Arizona in 1994 but has not yet been implemented. We have implemented the main concepts of Morpheus by using a concurrent programming language called MPD (Multithreaded, Parallel and Distributed) [5] and a programming discipline known as reactive objects. Morpheus is based on the concept of protocol shapes. A protocol shape is a template for implementing protocols with certain functions. Three main protocol shapes are router, sequencer and multiplexor. The protocol implementer constructs protocols by extending these shapes. Our library implements these shapes as objects. Each of these shapes in turn extends from a base protocol object called Protocol. We have used reactive objects for allowing communication between protocols.