Our Research & Development work in this area focuses on applications such as distributed simulations and middleware solutions for high performance distributed applications. We have implemented a multicast solution using Active Filtering for large-scale distributed simulations as a part of a DARPA-sponsored project. Our solution is known as Scalable Adaptive Networking for Distributed Simulations (SANDS). Current research efforts involve furthering this technology, thereby addressing Group Communication applications that conventional networking approaches are woefully inadequate in handling. A whitepaper describing Nevelex Active Filtering and Reliable Multicast can be found here.

Our work draws upon active networking technology, while addressing the associated security concerns. There are several acknowledged problems with conventional networks: the difficulty of integrating new technologies and standards into the shared network infrastructure, poor performance due to redundant operations at several protocol layers, and difficulty accomodating new services in the existing architectural model. Active networking technology is a means of addressing these shortcomings. The switches and routers in an "Active Network" are capable of performing custom operations on the packet flowing through the network. This leads to the possibility of dynamic alteration of the network state. For all its promise, this new technology comes with unanswered questions on security, performance penalty to other applications, and messaging overhead. We are developing secure, reliable implementations with minimal performance penalty to "non-active" applications that operate on an "activated" network.