Abstract
We explain the notion of software-defined networking (SDN), whose southbound interface may be implemented by the OpenFlow protocol. We describe the operation of OpenFlow and summarize the features of specification versions 1.0–1.4. We give an overview of existing SDN-based applications grouped by topic areas. Finally, we point out architectural design choices for SDN using OpenFlow and discuss their performance implications.
Highlights
Software-defined networking (SDN) has gained a lot of attention in recent years, because it addresses the lack of programmability in existing networking architectures and enables easier and faster network innovation
We review the interfaces of software-defined networking (SDN) and discuss potential control protocols for SDN
We review the different OpenFlow specifications by highlighting the supported operations and the changes compared to their previous major version and summarize the features of the different versions
Summary
Software-defined networking (SDN) has gained a lot of attention in recent years, because it addresses the lack of programmability in existing networking architectures and enables easier and faster network innovation. SDN clearly separates the data plane from the control plane and facilitates software implementations of complex networking applications on top. There is the hope for less specific and cheaper hardware that can be controlled by software applications through standardized interfaces. There is the expectation for more flexibility by dynamically adding new features to the network in the form of networking applications. This concept is known from mobile phone operating systems, such as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, where “apps” can dynamically be added to the system
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