NetworkCS Advanced Networking Group

Host ATM Research Platform (HARP)

The Advanced Networking Group (ANG) developed the Host ATM Research Platform (HARP) software to provide a production-quality platform for IP/ATM research. HARP implements the IETF Classical IP model (RFC 2225) for using IP over ATM networks.

Host ATM Research Platform (HARP)

HARP provides a way for IP hosts to connect to ATM networks. It supports standard methods of communication using IP over ATM. A host's standard IP software sends and receives datagrams via a host ATM interface. HARP provides functionality similar to (and typically replaces) vendor-provided ATM device driver software.

In order to provide high performance, HARP was implemented as kernel software. To minimize the run-time size of the kernel, only a small "ATM Core Services" component is always resident in the kernel; all other kernel modules are loaded when the software is configured, so that they will reside in the kernel only if their use is required.

HARP includes full source code, making it possible for researchers to experiment with different approaches to running IP over ATM. HARP is self-contained; it requires no other licenses or commercial software packages.

Additional information about HARP can be found in a presentation Tim Salo and Mike Spengler gave at USENIX in New Orleans June 17, 1998

HARP Functionality

HARP 3, the latest version, includes:

• Support for the ATM Forum's UNI 3.0/3.1 signalling;
• A Classical IP ATMARP client and server;
• A Server Cache Synchronication Protocol (SCSP, RFC 2334) implementation that provides a distributed ATMARP server;
• A user-level, native ATM, sockets API; and
• Support for FORE Systems' proprietary SPANS signaling protocol.

HARP supports:

• Hosts and Operating Systems
  • FreeBSD 2.1.5 (and higher) and FreeBSD 2.2.x
  • FreeBSD 3.0 (Note: HARP 3 has been incorporated into the FreeBSD 3.0 distribution and thus need not be downloaded and installed)
  • SunOS 4.1.x on Sun SPARC (sun4c, sun4m) workstations
• ATM Host Interfaces
  • FORE Systems, Inc.'s PCA-200E, SBA-200, and SBA-200E ATM adapters
    • Require microcode provided by FORE with the adapter
  • Efficient Networks, Inc.'s ENI-155p ATM adapter
• ATM Signalling Protocols
  • The ATM Forum UNI 3.1 signalling protocol
  • The ATM Forum UNI 3.0 signalling protocol
  • The ATM Forum ILMI (address registration only)
  • FORE Systems's proprietary SPANS signalling protocol
  • Permanent Virtual Channels (PVCs)
• IETF "Classical IP and ARP over ATM" model
  • RFC 2225, "Classical IP and ARP over ATM" (Obsoletes RFC 1626, RFC 1577)
  • RFC 1483, "Multiprotocol Encapsulation over ATM Adaptation Layer 5"
  • RFC 1755, "ATM Signaling Support for IP over ATM"
• IETF Server Cache Synchronization Protocol (SCSP)
  • RFC 2334, " Server Cache Synchronization Protocol (SCSP)"
  • Internet Draft draft-ietf-ion-scsp-atmarp-01.txt, A Distributed ATMARP Service Using SCSP"
• ATM Sockets Interface
• Based on "Networking Services (XNS) Issue 5", The Open Group, ISBN 1-85912-165-9
• See file "atm_sockets" in the "doc" directory of the HARP distribution for additional information
• Multiple logical interfaces per physical ATM interface
  • Up to 256 "network" (or logical) interfaces per physical interface when using UNI 3.0/3.1 SVCs or PVCs
  • Note that only one network interface is permitted per physical interface when using SPANS

HARP does not implement support for:

• UNI point-to-multipoint VCCs
• Traffic control or quality of service facilities provided by the ATM host interfaces or by the ATM network
• RFC 2022-style IP multicast over ATM (Multicast Address Resolution Server, MARS)
• IP multicast over ATM VCs (without MARS)
• SPANS multicast and MPP services
• SPANS signalling with Efficient ATM host interfaces

HARP Documentation

The HARP 3 documentation is available online, including the README file, man pages, design documents, and other information.

HARP Software Distribution

The HARP 3 software, including source code, is available online. (FreeBSD 3.0 users do not need to download the HARP software because it is already included in FreeBSD 3.0 and later releases.) Note that HARP 3 now has a "Berkeley-style" copyright. While HARP is made available "as is" and is not supported, your comments, suggestions, questions and problem reports are welcome. Feel free to contact us at harp-bugs@magic.net.

HARP Users

We value your feedback about your experiences with HARP. Please send us summaries of your experience with HARP, what you liked and didn't like, and suggestions for new or enhanced features. We intend to create a Web page listing projects that are using HARP to facilitate discussion among HARP users. ANG is also maintaining a mail list of those who wish to share their experiences with HARP, learn of others' experiences, or receive information about future releases of HARP. To be added to the HARP mailing list, harp@magic.net, send mail to harp-request@magic.net.

Future HARP Development

The HARP development team is committed to further development of the HARP software. Future releases of HARP are limited largely by our ability to attract external funds for HARP development. Feel free to address administrative questions about future HARP development to Tim Salo at salo@networkcs.com or 612-337-3555.

http://www.msci.magic.net/harp/
Updated: 1999-01-27