Research projects using RTI DDS

Kubernetes (K8s) provides a de-facto standard for container orchestration that can manage and scale distributed applications in the cloud. OMG’s Data Distribution Service (DDS), a standardized real-time, data-centric and peerto-peer publish/subscribe middleware, is being used in thousands of critical systems around the world. However, the feasibility of running DDS applications within K8s for latency-sensitive edge computing, and specifically the performance overhead of K8s’ network virtualization on DDS applications is not yet well-understood.

This project research the feasibility of running DDS applications on Kubernetes clusters under various use cases and deployment scenarios. We also evaluate the performance overhead of multiple popular container network interface(CNI) plugins installed on cloud/edge-based Kubernetes clusters.

Currently, we have been working with SDN OpenDaylight instances that control different autonomous systems. We have managed to synchronize them by replicating each network's data to the other controller. In this way, both instances are able to provide backup functionalities between them which is an important characteristic in order to improve the network response time in cases of emergency in 5G Networks. 

We deploy two types of controllers which use the DDS to exchange network information as shown in the figure.

The Global Controllers (GCs) communicate with each other to keep a consistent network state and establish inter-domain flow routes. In the same way, the Area Controllers (ACs) update their GCs when a change in their topology occurs. Similarly, the GCs inform their ACs when there is a change in the global topology that can affect the communication among the nodes under the control of different ACs. Furthermore, the use of the DDS allows a stronger performance during the recovery stages because the GCs share their network information with each other. Thus, if any problem arises with a GC operation, its functions are assumed by another GC.

The testbed architecture is composed of two GCs, each of which manages two ACs. The GCs are physically distributed in Granada (University of Granada, UGR) and Barcelona (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC). Similarly, their ACs are placed in these locations, and they can only communicate with their GCs. Thus, we have two SDN domains. The blue dashed line represents the DDS connections over RedIRIS as shown in the following picture.

The GCs were configured to support communication over Wide Area Network (WAN). In this way, the GCs can exchange network information and discover other GCs through DDS. The ACs were also configured to support communication over WAN in case their GCs are geographically distant in another SDN domain. However, the first principle was to use private LAN to communicate with controllers in the same SDN domain.

The Orbital Robotic Interaction, On-orbit servicing, and Navigation (ORION) laboratory at Florida Institute of Technology enables experimental research in controlling and operating teleoperated and autonomous ground, air, and space robots. The ORION Lab was designed, developed, and integrated by Dr. Markus Wilde in the period 2014 – 2018. The lab is built around a maneuver simulator and a motion tracking system. It also contains a control room, a supporting electronics workshop, and office space for graduate students and visiting researchers.