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+---
+title: "Creating layers"
+author: "Dimitri Staessens"
+description: "IRMd"
+date:  2019-07-23
+#type:  page
+draft: false
+---
+
+The most important structure in recursive networks are layers, that
+are built op from [elements](/docs/elements/) called Inter-Process
+Communication Processes (IPCPs).
+
+<center>
+{{<figure class="fl w-90"
+          src="/images/creating_layers.jpg">}}
+</center>
+
+Now, the question is, how do we build these up these layers? IPCPs are
+small programs (think of small virtual routers) that need to be
+started, configured and managed. This functionality is usually
+implemented in some sort of management daemon. Current RINA
+implementations call it the *IPC manager*, Ouroboros calls it the
+__IPC Resource Management daemon__ or __IRMd__ for short. The IRMd
+lies at the heart of each system that is participating in an Ouroboros
+network, implementing the core function primitives. It serves as the
+entry point for the system/network administrator to manage the network
+resources.
+
+We will describe the functions of the Ouroboros IRMd with the
+Ouroboros commands for illustration and to make things a bit more
+tangible.
+
+The first set of primitives, __create__ (and __destroy__), allow
+creating IPCPs of a given *type*. This just runs the process without
+any further configuration. At this point, that process is not part of
+any layer.
+
+<center>
+{{<figure class="c w-60"
+          src="/images/irm_ipcp_create.png">}}
+</center>
+
+The example above creates a unicast IPCP and gives that IPCP a name
+(we called it "my_ipcp"). A listing of the IPCPs in the system shows
+that the IPCP is running as process 4157, and it is not part of a
+layer ("*Not enrolled*").
+
+To create a new functioning network layer, we need to configure the
+IPCP, using a primitive called __bootstrapping__. Bootstrapping sets a
+number of parameters for the layer (such as the routing algorithm to
+use) and activates the IPCP to allow it to start providing flows.  The
+Ouroboros command line allows creating an IPCP with some default
+values, that are a bit like a vanilla IPv4 network: 32-bit addresses
+and shortest-path link-state routing.
+
+<center>
+{{<figure class="c w-60"
+          src="/images/irm_ipcp_bootstrap.png">}}
+</center>
+
+Now, we have a single node-network. In order to create a larger
+network, we connect and configure new IPCPs using a third primitive
+called __enrollment__. When enrolling an IPCP in a network, it will
+create a flow (using a lower layer) to an existing member of the
+layer, download the bootstrapping information, and use it to configure
+itself as part of this layer.
+
+[TODO: enrollment example]
+
+---
+Changelog:
+
+2019-07-23: Initial version