How to Implement Network Policy Management in OMNeT++
To implement network policy management in OMNeT++ has needs to generate and implement the policies that control how the traffic flows across the network, how resources are distributed, and how security measures are implemented. Network policy management is necessary in the environments in which the particular rules must be surveyed to make sure the security, efficiency, and compliance. The below is the procedure to implement the network policy management in OMNeT++:
Step-by-Step Implementation:
- Set up OMNeT++ and INET Framework
- Make sure that OMNeT++ and the INET framework are installed and properly configured.
- Generate a new project in OMNeT++ and has contains the INET framework that delivers essential network modules and tools.
- Design the Network Topology
- State the network topology in an .ned file. This topology should contains the nodes (clients, servers, routers) in which the network policies will be implemented and enforced.
Example .ned file:
network PolicyManagementNetwork {
submodules:
client1: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,200”);
}
client2: StandardHost {
@display(“p=100,300”);
}
server: StandardHost {
@display(“p=500,250”);
}
router: Router {
@display(“p=300,250”);
}
policyManager: StandardHost {
@display(“p=300,150”);
}
connections:
client1.ethg++ <–> Ethernet100M <–> router.pppg++;
client2.ethg++ <–> Ethernet100M <–> router.pppg++;
router.pppg++ <–> Ethernet1G <–> server.ethg++;
policyManager.ethg++ <–> Ethernet100M <–> router.pppg++;
}
This network has contains the multiple clients, a server, a router, and a policy manager responsible for handling and enforcing network policies.
- Implement the Policy Manager
- To improve a policy manager module that will define, distribute, and enforce network policies. The policy manager will interact with other network elements like routers, switches to make sure the compliance with these policies.
Example of a basic policy manager:
class PolicyManager : public cSimpleModule {
protected:
virtual void initialize() override;
virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;
void distributePolicies();
void enforcePolicy(const std::string &policyName, cPacket *pkt);
};
void PolicyManager::initialize() {
// Initialize the policy manager and distribute policies to network elements
distributePolicies();
}
void PolicyManager::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {
// Handle incoming messages or policy enforcement requests
cPacket *pkt = check_and_cast<cPacket *>(msg);
enforcePolicy(“DefaultPolicy”, pkt);
}
void PolicyManager::distributePolicies() {
EV << “Distributing network policies to network elements…” << endl;
// Implement logic to send policies to routers, switches, etc.
}
void PolicyManager::enforcePolicy(const std::string &policyName, cPacket *pkt) {
EV << “Enforcing policy: ” << policyName << ” on packet: ” << pkt->getName() << endl;
// Implement logic to apply specific policies to packets (e.g., filtering, prioritization)
}
This policy manager module is responsible for allocated and implemented the policies via the network.
- Define Network Policies
- State the particular network policies that we want to implement. These policies can contain the traffic filtering, prioritization, access control, bandwidth management, and security rules.
Example of a policy definition:
class NetworkPolicy {
public:
std::string name;
std::string srcAddress;
std::string destAddress;
std::string protocol;
int priority;
bool allow;
NetworkPolicy(std::string n, std::string src, std::string dest, std::string proto, int prio, bool alw)
: name(n), srcAddress(src), destAddress(dest), protocol(proto), priority(prio), allow(alw) {}
};
std::vector<NetworkPolicy> policies;
void PolicyManager::initialize() {
// Define and add policies
policies.push_back(NetworkPolicy(“AllowHTTP”, “10.0.0.1”, “10.0.0.2”, “TCP”, 1, true));
policies.push_back(NetworkPolicy(“BlockFTP”, “10.0.0.1”, “10.0.0.3”, “TCP”, 2, false));
distributePolicies();
}
void PolicyManager::enforcePolicy(const std::string &policyName, cPacket *pkt) {
for (const auto &policy : policies) {
if (policy.name == policyName) {
if (policy.allow) {
EV << “Allowing packet according to policy: ” << policy.name << endl;
send(pkt, “out”);
} else {
EV << “Blocking packet according to policy: ” << policy.name << endl;
delete pkt;
}
break;
}
}
}
This example shows how to describe and implement the particular network policies like allowing HTTP traffic and blocking FTP traffic.
- Implement Policy Enforcement in Network Elements
- Execute logic in routers, switches, or other network elements to implement the policies distributed by the policy manager.
Example of policy enforcement in a router:
class PolicyEnforcingRouter : public cSimpleModule {
protected:
virtual void initialize() override;
virtual void handleMessage(cMessage *msg) override;
void applyPolicies(cPacket *pkt);
};
void PolicyEnforcingRouter::initialize() {
// Initialization code, if necessary
}
void PolicyEnforcingRouter::handleMessage(cMessage *msg) {
cPacket *pkt = check_and_cast<cPacket *>(msg);
applyPolicies(pkt);
}
void PolicyEnforcingRouter::applyPolicies(cPacket *pkt) {
EV << “Applying policies to packet: ” << pkt->getName() << endl;
// Example: Check the packet against policies and enforce them
// In this case, we’ll simply forward the packet for demonstration purposes
send(pkt, “out”);
}
This router module applies policies to the packets passing through it, as defined by the policy manager.
- Configure Traffic and Test Policy Management
- Set up the clients to create the traffic that will be subject to the network policies. The traffic will help to verify the policy management and enforcement mechanisms.
Example of traffic generation configuration:
*.client1.numApps = 1
*.client1.app[0].typename = “TcpBasicClientApp”
*.client1.app[0].connectAddress = “server”
*.client1.app[0].connectPort = 80
*.client1.app[0].sendInterval = 1s
*.client1.app[0].messageLength = 1000B
*.client2.numApps = 1
*.client2.app[0].typename = “TcpBasicClientApp”
*.client2.app[0].connectAddress = “server”
*.client2.app[0].connectPort = 21
*.client2.app[0].sendInterval = 1s
*.client2.app[0].messageLength = 1000B
The policies will be validated by generating HTTP and FTP traffic, with policies that permits HTTP and blocking FTP.
- Run the Simulation
- Implement the simulation in OMNeT++ to monitor how the policies are allocated and implemented via the network. Monitor how traffic is managed based on the policies defined in the policy manager.
- Use OMNeT++’s built-in tools to visualize traffic flow, examine how policies are applied, and assess the efficiency of policy management.
- Analyse and Optimize
- After executing the simulation, measure the efficiency of the network policy management. Measure the parameters like compliance with policies, network performance under policy enforcement, and the effect of policies on traffic flow.
- Use the analysis to enhance the policy management logic, refining the policies or the mechanisms used to execute them.
- Extend Policy Management Capabilities
- Expand the policy management capabilities to contains more advanced features such as:
- Dynamic policy adjustment: Automatically modifying the policies based on real-time network conditions.
- Security policies: Executing the policies for identifying and preventing the security threats (e.g., DDoS attacks).
- Quality of Service (QoS) management: Implementing the policies that prioritize critical traffic and handle the bandwidth allocation.
We had successfully executed the network policy management in the tool of OMNeT++ that has includes to generate the network topology then apply the policy manager after that execute the simulation to analyse the outcomes. If you need assistance with implementation, feel free to reach out to us! we are glad to help you out