Software Defined Networking (SDN) and OpenFlow - Aricent

Software-Defined
Networking
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is rapidly emerging to the
forefront of next-generation networking. By decoupling the control
and data planes in network switches and routers, SDN enables rapid
innovation and optimization of routing and switching equipment.
Application Layer
OAM
Routing Service
Custom SDN
Applications
Aricent provides comprehensive software frameworks and engineering
services across all three layers of SDN - the infrastructure, the
controller and the application layer. Our SDN offerings help network
equipment manufacturers (NEM) and independent software vendors
(ISV) optimize R&D costs and accelerate time to market for innovative
SDN solutions.
Control Layer
Northbound APIs
SDN Controller –
Open Source / Vendor Proprietary
Network Services
ARICENT OPENFLOW CLIENT
Aricent’s OpenFlow Client (OFC) is a portable implementation of the
OpenFlow client functionality and is compliant with version 1.3.1
of the OpenFlow Switch Specification.
Aricent OFC framework can be used to build pure and hybrid OpenFlow
switches. OFC is pre-integrated with Aricent’s industry leading ISS
solution that can be leveraged to build hybrid OpenFlow switches
and routers. Aricent OFC is platform agnostic and is pre-integrated
on leading silicon platforms.
Aricent OpenFlow Framework
Table Data
Controller
Connection Manager
Packet
Processing Module
Interface Management
NP Programming
Forwarding ASIC
Southbound/OpenFlow
System
Management
NPAPI
Aricent ISS Framework
CLI/SNMP/Web
ACL/Qos/DCBX
ISS Layer 2
+Advanced Layer 2
ISS Layer 3
Aricent Fast Path
ARICENT FAST PATH FRAMEWORK
Aricent Frameworks
Product Engineering Services
Aricent’s Fast Path Framework (FPF) is data-plane processing
software for multicore platforms. FPF implements the OpenFlow
Packet Forwarding Pipelines. The user plane solution implements
the complete OpenFlow switching functionality in software or on a
combination of hardware and software by providing offload capability.
Aricent FPF implements both run to completion and pipeline models.
It is pre-integrated on a leading multi-core platform and can be easily
ported on other platforms. In order to improve processor utilization,
Aricent FPF has a modular architecture and supports multithreading.
Other key features include OpenFlow pipeline support, traffic load
balancing and diagnostic support.
ARICENT OPENFLOW TEST AUTOMATION
FRAMEWORK (OF TAF)
Aricent’s OpenFlow Test Automation Framework (OF TAF) offers
automated test cases for the OpenFlow conformance test
specification published by the Open Networking Foundation
(ONF). OF TAF enables NEMs to quickly validate their equipment
for compliance to the OF Specifications, enabling smoother
certification process.

ARICENT SDN CONTROLLER APPLICATIONS
Aricent offers several protocols from its portfolio of widely deployed
software frameworks as SDN controller applications. Aricent’s SDN
controller applications offer SDN based solutions for challenges
faced in data-center, transport and carrier networks today. The
applications are pre-integrated on a popular controller platform and
can easily be ported across different controller platforms with varying
south bound interfaces, including proprietary interfaces and standard
interfaces such as OpenFlow. Aricent’s SDN applications enable
controller vendors to offer innovative applications on their controller
platforms with accelerated time to market and reduced R&D costs.
Dot 1ag Utilities BFD Utilities Proprietary OAM
Northbound APIs
SDN Controller – Open Source / Vendor Proprietary
Routing Service Application
Traditional routing protocols BGP and OSPF are run as Virtual Routing
Engine (VRE) on the controller. VRE provides a logically centralized
control plane separated from the forwarding switches. It enables
optimized routing services such as computation of shortest path
and application aware routing. The benefits of the centralized control
plane include better view of the network traffic and flexible, intelligent
and traffic engineered route control. This improves the network
operations, leading to better utilization of network resources.
Service
Link Discovery
Virtual Topology Routing Manager Engine
(traditional routing
protocols: Virtual Routing BGP/OSPF) Engine
(traditional routing
protocols: BGP/OSPF)
Routing Service
Northbound APIs
SDN Controller – Open Source / Vendor Proprietary
For routing service across multi-carrier networks, the BGP-Link State
(BGP-LS) protocol is run on the controller. BGP-LS learns the route
information from adjacent Autonomous Systems (AS) and builds a
consolidated and centralized routing database. This central database
is used to effectively route traffic across packet networks where two
AS are connected by an optical cloud or a multilayer control plane.
OAM for Carrier Networks
OpenFlow protocol does not have provision for fast failure detection
at transport level. While this is acceptable in data center networks,
same may fall short in carrier networks. To bridge this gap, Aricent’s
widely deployed OAM Frameworks for carrier networks – Ethernet
OAM IEEE 802.1ag and ITU-T Y.1731 are re-purposed as controller
applications, rendering efficient OAM in carrier networks.
DB
SDN AND OPENFLOW ENGINEERING SERVICES
We deliver world-class design, development, testing, and sustenance
services to help our customers bring innovative SDN & OpenFlow
solutions to market. Coupled with our deep domain expertise in
data center, transport, and enterprise networks, we help deliver
solutions across the SDN spectrum.
Services and
Capabilities
Product
Development
Testing
SDN Lab
SDN Controllers and
Controller Applications
Controller applications
development on open
source and vendor specific
controller platforms for
proven SDN use cases.
An indicative list:
> Traffic Steering for
Deep Packet Inspection
> Route Optimization for
Backhaul Networks
> Dynamic Bandwidth
Allocation
> Network Monitoring
Porting to different
controllers
Testing SDN controller
applications on various
OpenFlow controllers and
switches
Interoperability testing
for controllers with
multiple clients
OpenFlow controllers
from leading industry
vendors
OpenFlow Switches
and Infrastructure
Enabling OpenFlow
support in traditional
switches and routers
Upgrading to newer
standard versions as
the OpenFlow
specifications evolve
OpenFlow client
compliance testing
against evolving
specification versions
Testing pure and hybrid
OpenFlow switches with
various controllers
OpenFlow switches
from leading industry
vendors
Traffic test
infrastructure
For more information, visit
aricent.com/software/software-defined-networking.html
For more information, contact us at info@aricent.com
aricent.com
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marks, trademarks, or registered marks of Aricent Inc. in the United States and other countries.
SDN - 11.13