4. Core Protocol Pack

Core Protocol Pack (protocol-pack-core)

Overview

Protocol Pack Core provides support for fundamental networking protocols that form the backbone of modern network communications. This core pack focuses on protocols essential for basic network operation, including link layer connectivity, network addressing, routing, bridging, and transport services.

Scope and Purpose

The core protocol pack is designed to support:

• Basic network connectivity and operation
• Layer 2 through Layer 4 protocols
• Common vendor implementations
• Critical network control protocols
• Essential network services

Key Features

1. Link Layer Support

   • Ethernet framing and addressing
   • VLAN tagging and trunking
   • Link aggregation and redundancy
   • Bridge protocols and spanning tree variants

2. Network Layer Processing

   • IPv4 and IPv6 packet handling
   • Network control messages (ICMP)
   • Multicast group management
   • Basic tunneling protocols

3. Transport Protocols

   • Connection-oriented transport (TCP)
   • Connectionless transport (UDP)
   • Multi-streaming transport (SCTP)
   • Congestion control (DCCP)

4. Network Control

   • Routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, RIP)
   • Layer 2 discovery (LLDP, CDP)
   • Network redundancy (HSRP, VRRP)
   • Link management (LACP, PAgP)

5. Modern Data Center

   • Network virtualization (VxLAN, NVGRE)
   • Fabric protocols (TRILL, SPB)
   • Overlay networks
   • Network segmentation

Common Use Cases

• Network packet capture and analysis
• Traffic monitoring and inspection
• Network troubleshooting
• Protocol analysis and debugging
• Network security monitoring
• Performance monitoring
• Network automation

Implementation Notes

1. All protocols include:

   • Header parsing and formatting
   • Checksum validation
   • Common options handling
   • Stateless packet processing
   • Basic statistics collection

2. Where applicable, protocols support:

   • Packet reassembly
   • Streaming reassembly
   • State tracking
   • Flow monitoring

3. Integration points:

   • Optional protocol registration
   • Custom protocol handlers
   • User-defined protocol extensions
   • Protocol-specific event callbacks

Compatibility

The core protocol pack is designed to:

• Work with all major network vendors
• Support standard protocol implementations
• Handle common protocol variations
• Process vendor-specific extensions

Dependencies

• Requires jnetpcap-sdk or jnetworks-sdk
• Uses native packet capture libraries or Napatech SmarkNIC adapters and software for hardware acceleration
• Supports standard pcap and snoop file formats
• Compatible with live capture interfaces
• When using jnetworks-sdk supports pcap, Napatech's NTAPI or Intel's DPDK native packet bindinds

This core protocol pack provides the foundation for other specialized protocol packs while ensuring comprehensive support for fundamental network protocols and services.

Disclaimer

All product names, trademarks, and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
This repository references Napatech's NTAPI software and SmartNIC network adapters, as well as Intel's DPDK software and Intel's network adapters.
The use of these names, trademarks, and references does not imply any affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement by the respective owners.