Managing networks with OpenFlow

Several leading Internet companies founded the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) [1] to promote the adoption of software-defined networking through open standard development. According to the ONF, their "signature accomplishment" is fostering and maintaining the OpenFlow standard [2], which defines a protocol for communicating with software-defined network (SDN)-ready network devices (Figure 1). A striking number of proprietary and free SDN projects now implement the OpenFlow standard.

Figure 1: An OpenFlow-capable switch connected to the controller.

OpenFlow has gained some momentum since it first appeared in 2008. Between the test suite 0.8.1 from June 2008 and version 1.0 of the specification from December 2009, the developers released seven updates. Since then, eight further iterations have appeared; the current version is numbered 1.4.

[...]

Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
Print Issues
Digital Issues
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Print Subs
Digisubs
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Mininet

    Mininet lets you test new controller features for your software-defined network in a sandbox before releasing them onto your production network.

    more »
  • SDN Up Close

    Globalization, rapidly increasing numbers of devices, virtualization, the cloud, and "bring your own device" make classically organized IP networks difficult to plan and manage. Instead of quarreling, some admins address these problems with a radically new approach: Software-defined networking.

    more »
  • Software-Defined Networks

    Even as the tech world works to figure out just what to do with the potential of cloud computing and big data, along comes a new bit of technology fueled by open source software: software-defined networks.

    more »
  • OpenDaylight

    Several well-known companies are collaborating on the foundations of future SDN products under the umbrella of the OpenDaylight open source project.

    more »
  • Open Networking Foundation Formed

    “Stronger definition of network behavior in software is a growing trend, and open interfaces are going to lead to faster innovation,” said Nick McKeown, ONF Board member and professor at Stanford University.

    more »
comments powered by Disqus