Ariba Features

Ariba eases development and rapid prototyping of overlay-based services and applications. To this end, it provides mechanisms for creation and maintenance of communication links across heterogeneous networks, spontaneously providing an invariant virtual network substrate. Furthermore, Ariba supports simulation of Ariba-based services and applications without changing the code. The main features of Ariba include:

• Node identifiers: Ariba provides a naming mechanism that uses invariant identifiers instead of network locators (subject to change due to, e.g., node mobility) for specifying the target of a communication link.

• Requirement driven protocol selection: Ariba allows for specifying QoS- and security requirements for each link. Based on the requirements, Ariba transparently selects appropriate transport protocols (e.g., TCP, UDP) and security mechanisms (e.g., TLS, IPSec).

• Support for heterogeneity on layer 3: Ariba transparently establish connections between different layer 3 technologies (e.g., IPv4 and IPv6) and to private address spaces (e.g., due to NAT).

• Mobility: In case of locator changes due to node mobility, Ariba will transparently reestablish connectivity without affecting services and applications.

• Multi-homing: In case of multi-homed nodes, Ariba transparently selects appropriate locators for link establishment and selects alternative locators in case of locator failures.

• Simulation support: Ariba-based applications can be evaluated using the ​Omnet++ Discrete Event Simulation System without changing the code.