Efficient Data Processing using Cross Layer Hints

Conventional network stacks define a layered architecture, whereeach layer implements a set of services and exports a well-defined
interface to be used by its immediate upper layer.
A key design choice of the layered architecture has been to
provide isolation between the functional modules of distinct layers.
While such an architecture provides an useful abstraction for
system development, the strict isolation
of this layered architecture limits the flexibility of tailoring
the behavior of the lower layers of the stack to the needs of the
application.
In this paper we define a new architecture, called X-Tags,
which allows flexible interaction between layers for cooperative
data processing without impacting the isolation property.
In this architecture, applications use special tags to provide
semantic hints for data processing to lower layers.
We motivate the usefulness of this architecture by describing
ts applicability to some emerging applications.
UMIACS-TR-2002-59