Pseudo-Network Drivers and Virtual Networks - Extended Abstract

Many operating systems have long had pseudo-teletypes, inter-process communication channels that provide terminal semantics on one end, and a smart server program on the other. In the same vein, we have implemented a pseudo-network driver. To the kernel, and in particular to IP, it appears to be a device; instead of transmitting the bits over a wire, the output packets are sent to a program. Similarly, packets written by the program are delivered to the network input handlers, exactly as if they were received over a real device.