This forward-looking reference introduces a new generation of network technologies and architecture that allows the creation, customization, and management of new services and applications deployed dynamically into network nodes. The author outlines the architecture of active and programmable networks, discusses the enabling technologies for network programmability in detail, and introduces several paradigms and prototypes. He then explores packet scheduling, management, routing, and security in active and programmable networks and examines active wireless and mobile networks. The final chapter presents several real-world examples of currently deployed active and programmable networks. > Most conventional networks are passive, with only basic traffic monitoring, management, routing, and congestion control. At best, they can be called reactive. Deploying new functions and integrating new standards into these architectures is difficult due to the rigid embedding of software and hard.