The architecture of traditional networks has limited the development of new protocols and applications and the evolution of Internet infrastructure.The emergence of active networks provides a possible approach.Active network is a programmable network in which user can insert customized programs into the switches of the networks.As a kind of novel network architecture,active networks are advantageous in creating and tailoring new network services and improving the flexibility of networks,which makes it one of the promising directions in the Internet.In this paper,we discuss the background,principles and architecture of active networks,as well as the applied fields and the problems to be solved in the future.
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