[erlang-questions] FAQ Sec 1.5 query

[Claes Wikstrom]

Saifi wrote:
> Hi:
> 
> Sec 1.5 of FAQ talks about the organizations using Erlang in development,
> and cites the case of AXD301 ATM switch.
> 
> I am keen to explore the suitability of implementing the following functionality
>  1. ip forwarding, packet filtering
>  2. ipsec
> with erlang and C hooks in Linux kernel.
> 
> The message oriented semantics of IPSec exchanges (ISAKMP and IKE) seem 
> very much amenable to implementation in erlang. 
> What are the thoughts of the more experienced erlangers on this list ?
> 


Implementation of ISAKMP/IKE would fit erlang just perfectly. I've worked
with other proprietary implementations of ISAKMP/IKE at it really itched
hard to just rewrite the whole thing in Erlang. All MP code can nicely be written
directly in erlang using bignums.


> The key capability required here would be 
>  1. access to socket options (sockopt)
>  2. attaching hooks from tcp/ip stack to erlang rt.
>  3. certain specific interception capabilities.
> 


Well different OSes have different means to do this. Linux and BSD
does it entirely different. I'd just do a OS dependant proper interface
(linked in driver) to the kernel functions to populate
SAD/SDP entries.


> Additionally, has there been any precedence of OSPF implementation in erlang ?
> 


I know of none - but here again similar situation with a highly complex
userspace protocol program which needs a (OS specific) driver to populate
and read kernel datastructures.

Thus, also OSPF would be excellent to implement in erlang



> I would be grateful for any thoughts, suggestions shared on this topic.
> 

Hard protocols to tackle - good luck - you need it.


/klacke