Provider Provisioned Overlay Networks and Their Utility in DoS Defense

The current overlay deployment model supports minimal or no involvement by ISPs in overlay deployment and operation. This model rules out a richer set of interactions between the native and overlay layers and therefore sacrifices the potential performance gains that can be realized through such interactions. In this paper, we present a new overlay deployment model (PON) where the ISPs are actively involved in the deployment and operation of overlay networks. Because of ISP involvement, the PON model can better support some of the more difficult overlay-based applications. The PON model also establishes a solid business model which provides incentives for the deployment of PON overlays. To demonstrate the utility of the PON model we consider one of the more difficult applications, denial of service (DoS) defense, and describe a PON overlay which provides DoS defense as a value-added service. We call this overlay FONet and describe the FONet architecture and its functional overview. Finally, we evaluate the FONet architecture in a controlled laboratory environment to illustrate its effectiveness in providing the DoS resistant services proposed.