Possibilities of the Click package

[Robert Morris]

Andre,

You're right, Click mostly focuses on packet processing and
forwarding.

We run DNS and DHCP servers as ordinary user-level Linux programs on
the same machine as the Click router. We use the DNS and DHCP software
that comes with Linux.

Similarly, we run route discovery software, like RIP and BGP, as
user-level programs, and have them communicate (by handlers) with IP
forwarding Click elements such as LookupIPRoute2. You could also use
the Click LookupIPRouteLinux, which reads the ordinary Linux
forwarding table.  Then any program, such as routed or gated, which
wrote the Linux forwarding table would also control Click forwarding.

Click includes some firewall features directly, in particular
pattern-based filtering of packets. Click can also easily cooperate
with user-level firewall/proxy programs, helping them transparently
intercept and modify TCP connections. You can read about the details
in this paper; there's a firewall example in section 5.3:

  http://www.pdos.lcs.mit.edu/papers/click-rewriter/

Click doesn't support IP multicast.

Click doesn't directly support DNS application level gateways.  But it
does have good support for diverting selected packets through
user-level programs.

Robert

> From: " ing. J.G. Kleibeuker" <kleibeuk at natlab.research.philips.com>
> To: <kaashoek at amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu>, <click at amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu>
> Subject: Possibilities of the Click package
> Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 08:54:44 +0200
> 
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> Hi Click Developer,
> 
> Tuesday I send a mail to Frans Kaashoek (kaashoek at pdos.lcs.mit.edu (?)) =
> about the possibilities of Click and the current development. For some =
> reason he didn't reply, but may be you can help me as wel or ask Frans. =
> It would be very helpfull if you can answer those questions for me quit =
> quickly because we are a little bit on hold at the moment.
> 
> I wrote to Frans:
> 
> This morning I had an initial discussion with Huib Eggenhuizen (Philips =
> Research) about the possibilities of Click and the way of communication =
> towards MIT (Click).
> 
> Currently we are investigating the possibilities of Click to see if it =
> can help us with our prototype of a Gateway. Last week I played a little =
> bit with Click to see how it works and what the difficulties are. First =
> impression was good but we still have some questions about =
> functionality, which I could not locate in the element list that was =
> given on the Internet.=20
> 
> 
> 
> Our initial increment, of the Gateway, has to support DNS/DHCP =
> functionality at the private (in home) network.
> 
> Q1] Does Click support DHCP server and relay agent functionality?
> 
> Q2] Does Click support DNS functionality, and how well is this =
> interacting with DHCP (dynamic DNS?)?
> 
> Click elements supports basic dynamic routing by the RIPSend and the =
> LookIPRoute2 elements.
> 
> Q3] Somewhere in the documentation was stated "Note that this is just a =
> tiny piece of a full RIP implementation", Is there any activity going on =
> to implement the rest of RIPv2 and does Click support protocols like =
> OSPF?
> 
> Q4] The element LookupIPRoute2 has some dynamic routing possibilities =
> via Element Handlers. Is it possible to access these handlers by other =
> elements to update routing tables?
> 
> 
> 
> In the upcoming increments we also identify the following functionality:
> 
> DNS_ALG, Needed to be able to initiate connection from a remote access =
> point.
> 
> Q5] Does Click support DNS_ALG (extensions)?
> 
> With some elements it is possible to build a basic firewall (IP =
> filtering) but its unclear to me if Click supports the other levels of =
> protection like:
> 
> Q6] Does Click support fire walling at the TCP level?
> 
> Q7] Does Click support fire walling at the application level (proxies) =
> and which applications are supported?
> 
> Multicasting and IGMP:
> 
> Q8] Does Click support Multicasting and IGMP?
> 
> 
> 
> Some general questions.
> 
> Q9] What kind of functionality is currently under development by the =
> Click team?
> 
> Q10] What is the scoop of the Click software, to me it look like the =
> scoop is limited to "core" router functionality and has no focus on =
> related subjects like DHCP, fire walling, etc?=20
> 
> 
> 
> We are trying to figure out if Click is a good software package for our =
> needs. It would be very helpful if you can answer those questions for =
> us.
> 
> Thanx in advance,
> 
> Andre Kleibeuker
> 
> (Dutch reply is fine by me)
> 
> 
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> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D2>
> <P>Hi Click Developer,</P>
> <P>Tuesday I send a mail to Frans Kaashoek (<A=20
> href=3D"mailto:kaashoek at pdos.lcs.mit.edu">kaashoek at pdos.lcs.mit.edu</A> =
> (?)) about=20
> the possibilities of Click and the current development. For some =
> reason&nbsp;he=20
> didn't reply, but may be you can help me as wel or ask Frans. It would =
> be very=20
> helpfull if you can answer those questions for me quit quickly because =
> we are a=20
> little bit on hold at the moment.</P>
> <P>I wrote to Frans:</P>
> <P><EM>This morning I had an initial discussion with Huib Eggenhuizen =
> (Philips=20
> Research) about the possibilities of Click and the way of communication =
> towards=20
> MIT (Click).</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Currently we are investigating the possibilities of Click to see =
> if it=20
> can help us with our prototype of a Gateway. Last week I played a little =
> bit=20
> with Click to see how it works and what the difficulties are. First =
> impression=20
> was good but we still have some questions about functionality, which I =
> could not=20
> locate in the element list that was given on the Internet. </EM></P>
> <P><EM></EM>&nbsp;</P>
> <P><EM>Our initial increment, of the Gateway, has to support DNS/DHCP=20
> functionality at the private (in home) network.</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q1] Does Click support DHCP server and relay agent=20
> functionality?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q2] Does Click support DNS functionality, and how well is this=20
> interacting with DHCP (dynamic DNS?)?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Click elements supports basic dynamic routing by the RIPSend and =
> the=20
> LookIPRoute2 elements.</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q3] Somewhere in the documentation was stated "Note that this is =
> just a=20
> tiny piece of a full RIP implementation", Is there any activity going on =
> to=20
> implement the rest of RIPv2 and does Click support protocols like =
> OSPF?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q4] The element LookupIPRoute2 has some dynamic routing =
> possibilities via=20
> Element Handlers. Is it possible to access these handlers by other =
> elements to=20
> update routing tables?</EM></P>
> <P><EM></EM>&nbsp;</P>
> <P><EM>In the upcoming increments we also identify the following=20
> functionality:</EM></P>
> <P><EM>DNS_ALG, Needed to be able to initiate connection from a remote =
> access=20
> point.</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q5] Does Click support DNS_ALG (extensions)?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>With some elements it is possible to build a basic firewall (IP=20
> filtering) but its unclear to me if Click supports the other levels of=20
> protection like:</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q6] Does Click support fire walling at the TCP level?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q7] Does Click support fire walling at the application level =
> (proxies)=20
> and which applications are supported?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Multicasting and IGMP:</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q8] Does Click support Multicasting and IGMP?</EM></P>
> <P><EM></EM>&nbsp;</P>
> <P><EM>Some general questions&#8230;</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q9] What kind of functionality is currently under development by =
> the=20
> Click team?</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Q10] What is the scoop of the Click software, to me it look like =
> the=20
> scoop is limited to "core" router functionality and has no focus on =
> related=20
> subjects like DHCP, fire walling, etc? </EM></P>
> <P><EM></EM>&nbsp;</P>
> <P><EM>We are trying to figure out if Click is a good software package =
> for our=20
> needs. It would be very helpful if you can answer those questions for=20
> us.</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Thanx in advance,</EM></P>
> <P><EM>Andre Kleibeuker</EM></P>
> <P><EM>(Dutch reply is fine by=20
> me)</EM></P></FONT></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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