RARE Research and Resilience

RARE documentation home

This page integrates the RARE documentation content directly into the site for easy access. Use the table of contents to jump between sections.

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Repository: rare-freertr/freertr Version: v24.3.1

Overview

RARE (Router for Academia, Research & Education) is an ongoing effort under the GÉANT 5th programme which focuses on creating an Open Source routing software platform. The project aims to integrate different pieces of software related to building blocks inherent to a routing stack:

Control plane

RARE uses FreeRtr under the hood used as the control plane component.

Programmable dataplane

P4, DPDK, XDP or TCPDUMP/libpcap are possible candidates.

Communication interface

This is the interface between the control plane and data plane and it is specific to the target dataplane. For example, BMv2, the open source P4 virtual switch developed by p4.org, uses P4Runtime in order to expose internal P4 program's object to an external control plane. P4 and NPL are such languages that allows data plane programmability.

P4 and NPL languages attempt to be as much as possible independent from the target or Programmable Ethernet ASIC architecture. However architecture dependence is still prominent. Code adjustments followed by a target specific compilation is necessary if you want to run your dataplane program on a specific architecture.

How to use this site

You'll find in this page various guides that will help you deploy and use RARE routing platform.

There are three categories of documentation:

Reference guides

This section will guide you in configuring freeRtr control plane. In essence, it is similar to freeRtr test cases. While the freeRtr test cases is convenient as it provides an extensive list of all the features in one page, this section will provide a navigation structure that helps you to find your way among the incredible freeRtr feature and interoperability list.

Installation guides

RARE platform has the particularity to be able to run on top of different dataplanes.

If you want to deploy a BGP Route Reflector, no need to run RARE & freeRtr with a P4 or DPDK dataplane. You can just use freeRtr native software dataplane.

At the opposite, if you wish to implement router with 6.4 Tbps capability, your best bet is to run RARE & freeRtr with an INTEL/TOFINO P4 dataplane.

RARE with DPDK or P4Emu dataplane is a perfect fit use case such as SOHO router requiring lower switching capability. (nx1GE, nx10GE or a couple of 100GE)

Cookbooks

This section corresponds to cookbooks that will guide you in learning how to configure RARE for distinct use cases.

Table of contents

Home

Overview

Control plane

Programmable dataplane

Communication interface

How to use this site

Reference guides

Installation guides

Cookbooks

References

All features in one page

Features category

Dataplane

Interoperability

Installation

TOFINO P4 switch

RARE HCL

RARE NOS install

Interfaces configuration

Software operation CLI

RARE NOS update

RARE NOS experimental

RARE NOS switch profile

TOFINO P4 DEV VM

VM configuration

RARE configuration

Run and verification

Cookbook

Basics

Bridge and VRF

Hello freeRtr !

Topology example

Unleash freeRtr !

Intra domain routing

MPLS forwarding core

iBGP

Polka

Traffic mitigation

Code of conduct

License

Contacts

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