How to Implement Data Center Networking in OMNeT++

To implement the Data Center Networking in OMNeT++ needs a network that replicates the infrastructure and interactive patterns of a data center by designing and simulating it. Data center networks are categorized by high-speed, low-latency communication among a large amount of servers and switches. Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing Data Center Networking in OMNeT++ using the INET framework:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework

Make sure that you have OMNeT++ and the INET Framework installed.

Create a New OMNeT++ Project

Open OMNeT++ IDE: Start the OMNeT++ IDE.
Create a New Project: Go to File -> New -> OMNeT++ Project. Name the project (like DataCenterNetworkSimulation).

Define the Network Topology

Create a new NED file to state the network topology, including servers, switches, and a data center core router.

Example: Data Center Network Topology (DataCenterNetwork.ned)

package datacenternetwork;

import inet.node.inet.StandardHost;

import inet.node.inet.Router;

import inet.node.inet.Switch;

network DataCenterNetwork

{

parameters:

int numServers = default(10); // Number of servers per switch

int numSwitches = default(4); // Number of switches

@display(“bgb=800,400”);

submodules:

coreRouter: Router {

@display(“p=400,50”);

}

accessSwitch[numSwitches]: Switch {

@display(“p=200,200; r,100”);

}

server[numServers * numSwitches]: StandardHost {

@display(“p=200,400; r,50”);

}

connections allowunconnected:

for i=0..numSwitches-1 {

accessSwitch[i].ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> coreRouter.ethg++;

for j=0..numServers-1 {

server[i * numServers + j].ethg++ <–> Eth100M <–> accessSwitch[i].ethg++;

}

Configure the Simulation

Configure the simulation’s parameters by generating the initialization file of OMNeT++.

Example: Configuration File (omnetpp.ini)

[General]

network = datacenternetwork.DataCenterNetwork

sim-time-limit = 100s

# Visualization

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayBackground = true

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayGrid = true

# Server Configuration

*.server*.numApps = 1

*.server*.app[0].typename = “ServerApp”

*.server*.app[0].destAddresses = “coreRouter”

*.server*.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.server*.app[0].messageLength = 1024B

*.server*.app[0].sendInterval = 1s

# Core Router Configuration

*.coreRouter.numApps = 1

*.coreRouter.app[0].typename = “CoreRouterApp”

*.coreRouter.app[0].localPort = 5000

# Switch Configuration

*.accessSwitch*.eth[*].queue.typename = “DropTailQueue”

*.accessSwitch*.eth[*].queue.packetCapacity = 100

# IP Address Configuration

for i=0..numSwitches-1 {

for j=0..numServers-1 {

*.server[i * numServers + j].ipv4.config = xmldoc(“server” + string(i * numServers + j) + “.xml”)

}

*.coreRouter.ipv4.config = xmldoc(“coreRouter.xml”)

for i=0..numSwitches-1 {

*.accessSwitch[i].ipv4.config = xmldoc(“switch” + string(i) + “.xml”)

}

Create IP Address Configuration Files

Determine the IP address configuration of all nodes by building XML files.

Example: IP Configuration File for server0 (server0.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for coreRouter (coreRouter.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for switch0 (switch0.xml)

</interface>

</config>

Implement Data Center Application Logic

Simulate data center applications by executing the logic for data transmission and reception.

Example: Server Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class ServerApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void sendData();

};

Define_Module(ServerApp);

void ServerApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

scheduleAt(simTime() + uniform(0, 1), new cMessage(“sendData”));

}

void ServerApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “sendData”) == 0) {

sendData();

scheduleAt(simTime() + 1, msg);

} else {

// Handle other messages

}

void ServerApp::sendData() {

// Logic to send data to the core router

cMessage *msg = new cMessage(“data”);

send(msg, “out”);

}

Example: Core Router Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

using namespace omnetpp;

class CoreRouterApp : public cSimpleModule

{

protected:

virtual void initialize() override;

virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;

private:

void processData(cMessage *msg);

};

Define_Module(CoreRouterApp);

void CoreRouterApp::initialize() {

// Initialization code

}

void CoreRouterApp::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {

// Process data from servers

processData(msg);

}

void CoreRouterApp::processData(cMessage *msg) {

// Logic to process data from servers

delete msg; // Example: simply delete the message after processing

}

Run the Simulation

Build the Project: Right-click on your project and select Build Project.
Run the Simulation: In the OMNeT++ IDE, click on the green play button to start the simulation.

We provided the valuable insights of data center networking from the basic network set up to extend the INET framework and its functionalities through the script using OMNeT++. If needed, we can also provide another script about data center networks or OMNeT++’s simulation methods.

Discover how to simulate Data Center Networking using OMNeT++ programming. We provide project ideas and share simulation results to help you along the way.