Prototype Version History

Ouroboros is still in an early proof-of-concept prototype phase. Versions 0.x.y have no forward nor backward compatibility. We bump minor version with API or protocol changes. Within a minor version, different patch levels should be compatible (no guarantees).

Once the functionality has reached a minimal critical mass, and a sufficient degree of software stability has been achieved, a version 1.0.0 will be released with the intention to maintain backwards compatibility from that point.

This page summarizes the progress and the plans for the next prototype (minor) version. For a summary of the current implementation state, see our status page.

0.26 (Current development branch)

Main plan: TBD

0.25 (Current version)

• Replaced the Ethernet and UDP shim IPCPs with direct points of attachment (PoAs) for the unicast IPCP.
• Ethernet LLC support is dropped.
• Unicast routing now uses directed graphs, with separate link and forwarding flags per edge.
• Reworked the MB-ECN congestion controller with heartbeat-based collapse detection.
• Transmit rings now block on queueing delay to limit buffer bloat.
• Added NIST curve hybrid KEMs (SecP256r1MLKEM768, SecP384r1MLKEM1024).
• Replaced tomlc99 with tomlc17 for the IRMd configuration file.

0.24

• Reworked FRCP: SACK/D-SACK, RACK-TLP-based loss detection, nonce-authenticated RTT probing, fragmentation, stream service with FIN.
• Replaced the in_order QoS field with a service class (raw, message, stream).
• Added the oftp file transfer tool over a stream flow.
• Added periodic re-keying of encrypted flows (see Ouroboros_Tutorial_07.
• Renamed enc.conf to sec.conf and added the auth (required/optional) peer authentication policy, cacert issuer pinning.
• Reworked congestion avoidance (MB-ECN).
• Added CRC-8, CRC-16 and CRC-64/NVMe checksums.

0.23

• Added PQC support to the library, including ML-KEM, Hybrid ECDH-KEM key exchange and ML-DSA and SLH-DSA based authentication.
• IRMd now negotiates encryption strength between endpoints based on lowest-floor exchange.
• Replaced the rdrbuff with per-user and priviliged shared slab allocator pools for shared memory packet buffers.
• Added automatic key rotation for encrypted flows.
• Refactored the ring buffer implementation and removed the old rbuff_ll variant.
• IRMd now allows direct ring buffer connections between local processes, reducing overhead for same-machine IPC.
• Major refactoring of CMake modules, plus new targets for coverage reports and automatic version parsing from git tags.

0.22

• Added flow authentication and the Flow Allocation Protocol header in the irmd
• Added UDP/IPv6 support
• Added protocol level debug logging
• Moved encryption control from qosspec to naming system
• Removed qosspec parameter from the broadcast API
• Refactored and simplified enrolment and connection manager
• Complete rewrite of the DHT for the unicast layer
• Refactored Ethernet IPCPs
• Deprecated appveyor in favor of codeberg/woodpecker CI
• Improved test coverage
• Improved systemd service and pkgconfig installation logic
• Improved ctest integration into build system

0.21

• Moved public key handling from library to IRMd
• Refactor of IRMd / registry implementation

0.20

• Improved configuration file handling
• Improved FUSE stability
• Log unique IDs to enrollment requests
• Print logo on startup when logging to std output
• Fix most common hangs on exit

0.19

• Pass the N-1 layer MPL at flow allocation
• Add flow liveness monitoring.
• Allow multiple directories in an IPCP
• Dropped support for raptor
• Use one UDP port for the IPCP over UDP/IPv4

0.18

• Use QoS cube for ECN marking
• Always use 64-bit endpoint IDs
• Add RIB statistics for flow allocator
• Add congestion avoidance policies
• Add flow control policies
• Add GCC 10 static analyzer build option

0.17

• Rename systemd service to ouroboros
• Add tests for LFA and ECMP routing
• Add Equal-Cost Multi-Path routing policy

0.16

• Removed support for SWIG bindings
• Add support for appveyor CI
• Add encryption support using OpenSSL

0.15

• Rename normal IPCP to unicast IPCP
• Add flow_join API for broadcast IPCP

0.14

• Add Explicit Congestion Notification field to DT
• Add broadcast IPCP

0.13

• Disable CRC32 by default

0.12

• Split error checking from FRCT
• Rename port_id to flow_id
• Rename SDU to packet
• Pass QoS spec at flow allocation
• Initial retransmission logic
• Support QoS specs for oping
• Use Endpoint ID's in fa protocol instead of fd

0.11

• Simplify reg/unreg API
• Support for partial packet reads
• Add IPCP over Ethernet DIX

0.10

• Revise lookup tracking in DHT
• Update man pages to CC-BY 4.0

0.9

• Add patchlevels for future versions
• Add support for Raptor FPGA Layer-1 PoC

0.8

• Use "program" instead of "application process"
• Use "process" instead of "application process instance"
• Send timestamp in oping
• Use 3-clause BSD license for tools

0.7

• Use ELF sections to init/fini ouroboros
• Simplify PFT for LFA routing
• Add RIB to expose metrics via FUSE
• Deprecate Common Distribution Application Protocol (CDAP)
• Simplify enroll API
• Deprecate Graph Adjancency Manager component

0.6

• Added a threadpool manager for improved concurrency
• Added Loop-Free Alternates (LFA) routing
• Add DHT as default directory policy

0.5

• Move FRCT logic from IPCP to application library
• Split connection establishment from flow allocation
• Split flow manager into flow allocator and data transfer
• Register hashes in a layer instead of cleartext name
• Add netmap support for LLC shim
• Initial lockless rbuff implementation
• Add generic thread pool management
• Revise flow allocation API
• Split authentication from CACEP
• Revise CACEP API
• Exchange application protocol information during CACEP

0.4

• Add support for syslog logging
• Revise RIB/CDAP as a btree structure
• Add B-tree implementation
• Add full-mesh policy for GAM
• Add Graph Adjacency Manager (GAM)
• Add flat address policy
• Add initial directory to normal IPCP
• Initial RIB/CDAP synchronization
• Add RIB/CDAP objects
• Add operf tool

0.3

• Move all shared memory (shm) mgmt to IRMd
• Use shared memory tx/rx ring buffer per flow
• Split off bind/unbind (map/unmap name to process) from reg/unreg

0.2

• Add shim DIF over LLC Ethernet
• Add CBR tool for performance testing
• Add IPCP over local memory

0.1

• Add full flow allocator to UDP shim
• Implementation of flow related ops
• Simple echo application
• Initial shim IPCP over UDP/IPv4
• Add RINA name helpers
• Initial library code
• Initial SDU/PDU buffer code
• Initial APIs for IRM/IPCP/CFAP/DIF allocator
• Initial CDAP header
• LICENSE and CONTRIBUTORS files
• Initial documenents and GPLv2 license