ODL supports a layered architecture with clear integration points and APIs that allow end users and networking vendors to participate in the power SDN capabilities of ODL. The southbound interface to ODL ensures that networking technologies and hardware from diverse vendors can be leveraged using ODL. The northbound interface provides APIs for end users and other cloud technologies such as OpenStack. The following block diagram captures the architecture of ODL:
Figure 1: ODL architecture overview
In a cloud deployment, other components such as compute and storage also play a critical role, in addition to networking. While ODL acts as the SDN platform while building the cloud infrastructure, it is critical for ODL to integrate with platforms such as OpenStack to provide seamless user experience while operating the cloud. Specifically, ODL needs to be integrated with OpenStack Neutron to provide an SDN-based network for the cloud.
Let's now look at some important...