The CLR fully introduces: New library classes in "Orcas"

The next version of the Microsoft. NET Framework (which will be supplied with the next edition of Visual studio® with the current code-named "Orcas") is divided into two groups, internally known as "red bits" and "green bits". Red bits includes all the libraries previously provided in the. NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0 (for example, mscorlib.dll and System.dll). To ensure that Visual Studio "Orcas" has a high degree of backward compatibility, changes to content in red bits are strictly restricted.

Green Bits An assembly is a new library that includes additional classes that run on red bits assemblies. Most of the classes listed in this column belong to green bits assemblies (for example, System.Core.dll), and only a few classes involve limited changes to red bits assemblies. For more background information, check out the blogs of Soma Somasegar and Jason Zander's blog.

The classes described in this column will be available through the January 2007 Visual Studio "Orcas" Community Technology Preview (CTP). The CLR's contributions to the new library include:

New plug-in hosting mode, which has been discussed in the first two phases of the "CLR Full Introduction"

Support for cryptographic algorithms set Suite B (same as the U.S. National Security Service (NSA) Regulations)

Large integer Support

High Performance Collection

Support for Anonymous and named pipes

Improved time zone support

Thin reader lock/writer lock class

Better integration with Windows® event tracking (ETW) capabilities, ETW includes ETW providers and ETW trace listener APIs

In this column, we'll discuss new Suite B encryption capabilities, support for large integers, collection classes, and piping capabilities.

Support Suite B

One of the primary goals of Visual Studio "Orcas" is to add support for cryptographic algorithm set Suite B. To support Suite B, the platform must support:

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which can be used to encrypt a key length of 128-bit and 256-bit

Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-256 and SHA-384) for hash operations

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), signed using 256-bit and 384-bit element-mode curves

Elliptic Curve Diffie-hellman (ECDH), using 256-bit and 384-bit element-mode curves to exchange key/secret protocols

You can find more information about Suite B in the overview of the NSA release (Web site: www.nsa.gov/ia/industry/crypto_suite_b.cfm).