You are on page 1of 18

Software-defined networking (SDN) is way to manage networks that separates the control plane from

While they both manage networks, both rely on different methods.

SDN offers a centralized view of the network, giving an SDN Controller the ability to act as the brains
northbound APIs.

One of the most well-known protocols used by SDN Controllers is OpenFlow, however, it isnt the only

Centralized, programmable SDN environments can easily adjust to the rapidly changing needs of busi

Software-defined networking (SDN) is still a relatively new model used to design, build, and manage n
defined networking tutorial aims to educate the SDx community on this exciting technology.

When learning about SDN, remember this one crucial differentiation: In SDNs, the networks control an
heightened optimization. Despite several options for SDN architectures, the most basic SDN method c

The next step in this software-defined networking tutorial is to better understand the important compo
1. First, the SDN Controller acts as the brains of the network. It allows SDN users to gain a central
should direct network traffic.
2. Second, southbound APIs push information to switches and routers below. You may not know it, but
OpenFlow is the first southbound API and is a heavily adopted protocol.
3. Lastly, northbound APIs push information above to the applications and business logic, giving netw
Understanding the SDN Architecture

A software-defined networking (SDN) architecture (or SDN architecture) defines how a networking and
open, software-based technologies and commodity networking hardware that separate the control pla

Traditionally, both the control and data plane elements of a networking architecture were packaged in
combination of proprietary vendors. The OpenFlow standard, created in 2008, was recognized as the fi
data plane elements would be separated and communicate with each other using the OpenFlow proto
charge of managing OpenFlow standards, which are open source. However, there are other standards
OpenFlow is not the only protocol that makes up SDN

Three SDN Stacks


In the SDN architecture, the splitting of the control and data forwarding functions is referred to as dis
separately, rather than deployed as one integrated system. This architecture gives the applications m
the controller, as opposed to traditional networks where the network is application aware.

SDN architectures generally have three components or groups of functionality:

SDN Applications: SDN Applications are programs that communicate behaviors and needed resources
interface (APIs). In addition, the applications can build an abstracted view of the network by collecting
purposes. These applications could include networking management, analytics, or business applicatio
analytics application might be built to recognize suspicious network activity for security purposes.
SDN Controller: The SDN Controller is a logical entity that receives instructions or requirements from t
networking components. The controller also extracts information about the network from the hardwar
with an abstract view of the network, including statistics and events about what is happening.
SDN Networking Devices: The SDN networking devices control the forwarding and data processing cap
processing of the data path.

The SDN architecture APIs are often referred to as northbound and southbound interfaces, defining the
and networking systems. A Northbound interface is defined as the connection between the controller
connection between the controller and the physically networking hardware. Because SDN is a virtualiz
physically located in the same place.
Software-defined networking (SDN), network functions virtualization (NFV), and network virtualization
in the devices we use to access the network, the applications and services we depend on to run our liv
today.

SDN, NFV, network virtualization, and white box networking (bare metal switching) are all complemen

SDN: separates the networks control (brains) and forwarding (muscle) planes and provides a centraliz
NFV: focuses on optimizing the network services themselves. NFV decouples the network functions, su
provisioning, particularly within service provider environments.
NV: ensures the network can integrate with and support the demands of virtualized architectures, part
White Box: uses network devices, such as switches and routers, that as based on generic merchant
single networking vendor.

Why SDN and NFV: Changes in Networking Today


Thanks to the advances in todays off-the-shelf hardware or whitebox networking, developer tools and
and NV technologies software can finally be decoupled from the hardware, so that its no longer con

Enable Innovation: enabling organizations to create new types of applications, services and business m
Offer New Services: Create new revenue generating services
Reduce CapEx: allowing network functions to run on off-the-shelf hardware
Reduce OpEX: supporting automation and algorithm control through increased programmability of net
Deliver Agility and Flexibility: helping organizations rapidly deploy new applications, services and infra
What is OpenFlow? Definition and how it relates to SDN

OpenFlow (OF) is considered one of the first software-defined networking (SDN) standards. It originally
forwarding plane of network devices such as switches and routers, both physical and virtual (hypervis

An SDN Controller in SDN is the brains of the SDN network, relaying information to switches/routers
deploy more SDN networks, SDN Controllers have been tasked with federating between SDN Controlle

To learn more about the latest advances and developments in software-defined networking and netwo
expert in all things SDN and NFV.
To work in an OF environment, any device that wants to communicate to an SDN Controller must supp
allowing network administrators to partition traffic, control flows for optimal performance, and start te

Benefits of OpenFlow:
Programmability

Enable innovation/differentiation
Accelerate new features and services introduction
Centralized Intelligence

Simplify provisioning
Optimize performance
Granular policy management
Abstraction

Decoupling of Hardware & Software, Control plane & forwarding, and Physical & logical config.
Protocol History
The original concept for OF begun at Stanford University in 2008. By December 2009, Version 1.0 of th
Foundation (ONF), a user-led organization dedicated to open standards and SDN adoption.

Since its release, multiple companies and open source projects like the OpenDaylight Project support O
with Cisco XNC and Brocade Vyatta Controller.
Announced in April 2013, the OpenDaylight Project (ODL), an open source SDN project hosted by the L
created in order to advance software-defined networking (SDN) adoption and create the basis for a str
virtualization (NFV). It was created as a community-led and industry-supported open source SDN fram
OpenDaylight Project is to offer a functional SDN platform that gives users directly deployed SDN with
components. In addition to this, contributors and vendors can deliver add-ons and other pieces that w
OpenDaylight.

Although the Linux Foundation hosts the OpenDaylight Project, it doesnt only run on Linux platforms.
Eclipse Public License (EPL), often chosen for Java-based projects. Using EPL allows OpenDaylight to in
the expansive environment of libraries and third-party components that already have been released u
EPL is an approved open source license, and according to the Free Software Foundation, is a free softw

OpenDaylight (ODL) Technical Overview


In February 2014, OpenDaylight announced Hydrogen, its first code release. It is made up of 15 proj
three different editions. The Base Edition of consists of the OpenDaylight Controller (an SDN Controlle
test it in a nutshell, its what everyone needs in order to use OpenDaylight. Upon the release of Hyd
already looking toward the next code release: Helium.

OpenDaylight utilizes the open standards that are currently in place, thanks to working with leaders li
Foundation (ONF). OpenFlow is a primary example of a SDN protocol supported by OpenDaylight, and
in the future, the OpenDaylight Project will undertake those standards as well. There is a common und
industry that while OpenFlow is beneficial in several scenarios, SDN is not only OpenFlow or any other
the OpenDaylight Project is intended to configure several SDN interfaces, including, but not limited to
Software Defined Networking (SDN) The goal of Software-Defined Networking is to enable cloud and n
SDN encompasses multiple kinds of network technologies designed to make the network more flexible
networking was originally defined an approach to designing, building, and managing networks that se
programmable and the underlying infrastructure to be abstracted for applications and network service

How Does Software-Defined Networking or SDN Work?


Software-defined networking providers offer a wide selection of competing architectures, but at its mo
device computer resources. All SDN models have some version of an SDN Controller, as well as southb

Controllers: The brains of the network, SDN Controllers offer a centralized view of the overall networ
should handle network traffic.
Southbound APIs: Software-defined networking uses southbound APIs to relay information to the switc
the most common protocols. Despite some considering OpenFlow and SDN to be one in the same, Ope
Northbound APIs: Software Defined Networking uses northbound APIs to communicates with the applic
In a software-defined network (SDN) architecture, the northbound application program interfaces (APIs
services and applications running over the network. The northbound APIs can be used to facilitate inn
network to align with the needs of different applications via SDN network programmability.
Northbound APIs are arguably the most critical APIs in the SDN environment, since the value of SDN is
enable. Because they are so critical, northbound APIs must support a wide variety of applications, so
are currently the most nebulous component in a SDN environment a variety of possible interfaces e
applications via an SDN Controller.

It is likely that quite a few different northbound APIs will exist before consolidation occurs not unlike
the types of network applications that could be optimized via the north bound interface include load b
or orchestration applications across cloud resources.

SDN Northbound APIs are also used to integrate the SDN Controller with automation stacks, such as Pu
platforms, such as OpenStack, VMwares vCloudDirector or the open source CloudStack. The goal is to
developers can hook into the network and make changes to accommodate the needs of the applicati
network.

Recently, the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) turned its focus to the SDN northbound API. They ha
develop prototypes and look at whether or not to create standards for the interface to drive clarity aro
current goals, visit its page here.
In a software-defined network (SDN) architecture, southbound application program interfaces (APIs) (o
southbound APIs) are used to communicate between the SDN Controller and the switches and routers
network. They can be open or proprietary.

How Do SDN Southbound APIs Work?


Southbound APIs facilitate efficient control over the network and enable the SDN Controller to dynami
changes according to real-time demands and needs. OpenFlow, which was developed by the Open Ne
Foundation (ONF), is the first and probably most well-known southbound interface. It is an industry sta
defines the way the SDN Controller should interact with the forwarding plane to make adjustments to
so it can better adapt to changing business requirements. With OpenFlow, entries can be added and r
the internal flow-table of switches and potentially routers to make the network more responsive to rea
demands. Besides OpenFlow, Cisco OpFlex (the companys response to OpenFlow) is also a well-know
southbound API
Whats a Software Defined Data Center?

A software defined data center (SDDC) uses virtualization technologies to separate hardware infrastru
that a service provider can offer computing and network services for many different clients.

By virtualizing a data center, all of the resources of the system including computing, storage, and ne
represented in a software form. The use of the data center resources can then be sold as a service, so
center.

Components of the SDDC include software-defined networking (SDN) elements, software-defined stora
computing. Many different software platforms both open and proprietary can be used to virtualize
OpenDaylight, OpenStack, OpenFlow, Red Hat, and VMware among many others.

The advantage of SDDC for clients is that they do not have to build the infrastructure. If they need com
they can simply rent them via the cloud. The advantage for a software or service provider is that the
infrastructure to serve many clients. One element that has driven the growth of SDDC and cloud comp
hardware and storage. As these resources get cheaper, it gets more economical to build out large dat

Economic Benefits
One of the largest benefits of a SDDC data center is that because the resources can be represented in
connections and pieces of hardware do not have to be physically manipulated to make changes. For e
allocated to different clients through a software program, without requiring manual manipulation.

Using software to plan, provision, and manage services can automate or self-provision services for cus
and saving money on operational costs of expensive manual configurations.

In addition to the service agility and provisioning benefits mentioned above, the SDDC approach has o
consumption. Centralized data centers can use economy of scale to deploy hardware components tha
consumption as well as connect to green-energy sources such as hydroelectric, solar, or geothermal. S
centralizing control over hosted data and security.

Fundamental to Cloud Business


The emergence of the SDDC has been an important shift in service models, enabling many smaller bu
storage elements that they did not have access to before, because of the expense of building out infra
fundamentally changed the way enterprise IT architects think about deploying and accessing applicat
the cloud.
What are SDN Controllers (or SDN Controllers Platforms)?

SDN Controllers (aka SDN Controller Platforms) in a software-defined network (SDN) are the brains o
switches/routers below (via southbound APIs) and the applications and business logic above (via no
tasked with federating between SDN Controller domains, using common application interfaces, such a

An SDN Controller platform typically contains a collection of pluggable modules that can perform diff
each, gathering network statistics, etc. Extensions can be inserted that enhance the functionality and
the network.

Two of the most well-known protocols used by SDN Controllers to communicate with the switches/rout
protocols are being developed, while more established networking protocols are finding ways to run in
System (i2rs) is developing an SDN standard that enables an SDN Controller to leverage proven, trad

The type of protocols supported can influence the overall architecture of the network for example, w
traditional routing protocols to execute distributed routing and allowing applications to modify routing

OpenDaylight SDN Controllers


On April 8, 2013, the open-source foundation, OpenDaylight, which is part of the Linux Foundation, wa
southbound APIs (such as Cisco OpFlex) and includes critical features, such as high-availability and clu

An OpenDaylight Controller is implemented solely in software and is kept within its own Java Virtual M
OpenDaylight Project released its first code, Hydrogen, which offered three different editions for users
for network programmability to enable SDN for any size networks. Companies like Cisco and Brocade
Helium-based Vyatta Controller. Extreme Networks has also said it will release an SDN Controller unde

As a challenge to OpenDaylight Controllers, On.Lab created the Open Networking Operating System (O
Ciena and Extreme Networks.
What is SDN Orchestration?

Software-defined networking (SDN) orchestration (or SDN orchestration) is the ability to program auto
services.

SDN orchestration can start with customer service orders, generated by either manual tasks or custom
technology to provision the service. This might require setting up virtual network layers, server-based

Got Orchestration
SDN orchestration platforms can include many types of proprietary or open source software, often bui
orchestration tools include Anuta Networks, Big Switch, CENX, Cisco Systems, Cyan, Nuage Networks,

SDN orchestration often involves coordinating software actions with an SDN Controller, which can be b
the network, in the case of traffic congestion, faulty devices, or security problems. SDN-based orchest

SDN Orchestration Components


The most important element of SDN orchestration is the ability to monitor the network and automate
Rayno Report found in a report this year that global service providers are looking for software that inte
services based on open and interoperable standards. This market, being described as lifecycle service

Many service providers and cloud operators believe the emergence of new SDN orchestration tools wi
survey conducted by the MEF and the Rayno Report indicated that 54.6 percent of operators regard th
launch new services in a cost- and time-effective manner.

In the future, SDN orchestration systems will provide the important glue between a wide range of te
automation technology that bridges the gap between telecom systems, data-center resources, OSS sy

You might also like