OpenFlow was created based on a better way to design and manage networks independent of different vendor equipment. Though OpenFlow seems to have appeared out of nowhere, OpenFlow is just one of the ways that we have historically tried to make computer networks more programmable using SDN.
In this chapter, we trace the history of programmable networks based on OpenFlow, how they work, and what the current state is. When done, you should have a good grasp of the following:
- Concepts around active networking and programmable networks
- The history of OpenFlow
- The different versions of OpenFlow and what is the importance of each
- Understanding OF-DPA, the open source OpenFlow agent from Broadcom
- Using an OpenFlow agent such as Indigo
- Open networking hardware from OCP networking vendors
- How controllers interact with OpenFlow agents
In Chapter 1, Open and Proprietary Next Generation Networks, we talked about the control plane and the data plane. The control plane is where the...