Software-Defined Network, an

Imperative Trend
SDN Controller Architecture
Contents

1 Why SDN?

2 SDN Network Architecture

3 Challenges

4 Conclusion
Challenges to Traditional Networks

Network is congested Device is complex

Operation & maintenance is difficult Service provisioning is slow

Network Congestion Caused by the
Distributed Shortest Path Calculation
A 1 B C D
3
D
A 2 E
1.0G/2.5G
B 8G/40G
2.4G/2.5G F G H
Global
calculation
C
B C D
2
3
Used bandwidth/Total A E
bandwidth
E F G F G H
1

Service requirements: A->E 6G; C->D 8G; C->G 4G (The total

Issue 1: The link between router B and router C is the shortest
path and will be congested soon. The other links are idle. Why
cannot some traffic be transmitted over link B-A-C?
bandwidth of all links is 10G. The numbers show the service deployment
sequence.)
Issue 2: In traditional mode, link 2 will fail to be established. Why cannot a
global calculation method be used to ensure the establishment of all links?
Network Devices Are Complex
If you want to become an expert in IP field, you must read If you want to skillfully operate the
2500 RFC documents. You need more than 6 years to devices of a vendor, you must master
finish reading all the documents even if you read one
more than 10000 commands. The
every day. However, these documents are only 1/3 of the
number of commands available on
total RFC recommendations. In addition, the number of
each device is still increasing.
RFC recommendations is still increasing.

Increment of RFC
recommendations related to
network devices
242
212 205 185
152
129 124 150
79

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Numerous Protocols Make Network
Operation & Maintenance Difficult
50 commands are run on a PE:
PE2
L3 VPN for an enterprise: 1 Configure IGP
[~PE1] interface loopback 1
[~PE1-LoopBack1] ip address 1.1.1.9 32
[~PE1] interface gigabitethernet3/0/0
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet3/0/0] ip address 172.1.1.1 24
[~PE1] ospf
[~PE1-ospf-1] area 0
[~PE1-ospf-1-area-0.0.0.0] network 172.1.1.0 0.0.0.255
PE3 [~PE1-ospf-1-area-0.0.0.0] network 1.1.1.9 0.0.0.0
[~PE1-ospf-1-area-0.0.0.0] quit
PE1 CE2 2 Configure MPLS
[~PE1] mpls lsr-id 1.1.1.9
[~PE1] mpls
CE1 [~PE1] mpls ldp
[~PE1] interface gigabitethernet 3/0/0
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet3/0/0] mpls
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet3/0/0] mpls ldp
3 Configure VPNV4
[~PE1] ip vpn-instance vpna
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpna] ipv4-family
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpna-af-ipv4] route-distinguisher 100:1
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpna-af-ipv4] vpn-target 111:1 both
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpna-af-ipv4] quit
[~PE1] ip vpn-instance vpnb
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpnb] ipv4-family

PE4 [~PE1-vpn-instance-vpnb-af-ipv4] route-distinguisher 100:2

[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpnb-af-ipv4] vpn-target 222:2 both
[~PE1-vpn-instance-vpnb-af-ipv4] quit
[~PE1] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/0
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] ip binding vpn-instance vpna
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] ip address 10.1.1.2 24

Configure IGP [~PE1-GigabitEthernet1/0/0] quit

[~PE1] interface gigabitethernet 2/0/0
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet2/0/0] ip binding vpn-instance vpnb
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet2/0/0] ip address 10.2.1.2 24

Configure MPLS
[~PE1-GigabitEthernet2/0/0] quit
[~PE1] commit
4 Configure PE-CE protocol
[~PE1] bgp 100
[~PE1-bgp] ipv4-family vpn-instance vpna
[~PE1-bgp-vpna] peer 10.1.1.1 as-number 65410

Configure VPNV4 [~PE1-bgp] ipv4-family vpn-instance vpnb

[~PE1-bgp-vpnb] peer 10.2.1.1 as-number 65420
[~PE1-bgp] quit
5 Configure MBGP
[~PE1] bgp 100

Configure PE-CE protocol [~PE1-bgp] peer 3.3.3.9 as-number 100

[~PE1-bgp] peer 3.3.3.9 connect-interface loopback 1
[~PE1-bgp] ipv4-family vpnv4
[~PE1-bgp-af-vpnv4] peer 3.3.3.9 enable
[~PE1-bgp] quit

Configure MBGP
Service Provisioning Is Slow

Supported by
A requirement Standardized Widely used
2 years 1 year vendors 1 year

Deploying an innovative application needs 3-5 years.

Fortunately, we have found a way to
solve these problems:

The best way to systematically solve these problems

Contents

1 Why SDN?

2 SDN Network Architecture

3 Challenges

4 Conclusion
What Is the Core of SDN?

It is reconstruction on the current

networks. In future, new services are

Software-
Software- deployed by programming on the SDN

defined controller and adding or upgrading the

software programs on the SDN.
network Customer requirements can be met
quickly.
Three Characteristics of SDN Controller
NMS

Separation of
forwarding and
controlling
SDN
controller
Centralized
control
Open interfaces

Control Control Control

plane plane plane

PE P PE
Structure and Three Interfaces of SDN Network
Accepts registration requests of forwarders
NMS Collects topology and resources
Interface 1: Northbound RESTful
Calculates internal channels and delivers
interface
them to all forwarders
Accepts external protocol packets and
calculates service routes
Delivers routing entries to forwarders
Interface 2: Southbound
OPENFLOW/PCEP/BGP/Netconf interface
SDN controller Organizes management channels
Registers with controller and collects
and reports resources
Interface 3: Forwards external protocol packets to
East-to-west interface that controller
connects to non-SDN domain Accepts routing entries delivered b y
controller

Forwarder PE Forwarder PE Forwarder PE

P: forwarding node within cluster, no external interface

PE: service node on the edge of cluster, connecting to devices outside cluster
SDN Network with Forwarding and
Controlling Separated Can Enhance
Network Programmability
Traditional network
Support MPLS
Programmable management plane
Several years are required
IGP TE/RSVP standardized
Vendors implement the standards and
release versions
Upgrade devices and NMS
SDN network
Support MPLS
Programmable control plane
Programmable management plane
To support the TE feature
Several weeks are required
Develop TE application on controller and
install the program to the controller
Devices do not need to be upgraded\
SDN network supporting
POF
Support POF
Programmable forwarding plane
Programmable control plane
Programmable management plane
Several weeks are required
Develop TE application and define
forwarding model on controller and install
the program to the controller
Devices do not need to support MPLS
forwarding
Protocol Oblivious Forwarding Protocol (POF)

When packets with protocol type 0x0889 are sent to the

forwarder, the forwarder cannot identify the packets and
discard them.

A packet description table and forwarding table are created
on the controller, and then delivered to forwarders.
Forwarding device that
supports POF

User-defined new packet type

The packets with protocol type 0x0889 are forwarded

Receiver
out.
Sender
Centralized Control Enhances Network
Programmability
Centralized programming is simpler than
distributed programming. A distribution
SDN system has low programmability.
controller
Distributed programming is difficult on
traditional IP networks, especially multi-
vendor distributed programming

Centralized control simplifies programming.

Programmability Comparison Between
SDN and Distributed Structure
Simplified Programmable Programmable
Service Fast service Programmable Programmable
network, management forwarding
automation provisioning control plane network
protocol-free plane plane

Traditional NMS
that automatically
delivers policies

SDN controller
that separates
forwarding and
controlling

SDN controller
that supports POF

support not support

Conclusion: SDN network that separates forwarding and controlling has powerful programmability. The future POF-support
controller has higher programmability.
Explanations to Two Questions
Question 1:
Is it true that only the controller supporting
OpenFlow can separate forwarding and controlling?
The SDN network that supports OpenFlow
definitely supports separation of forwarding and
controlling.
In addition to OpenFlow, there are other
protocols running between SDN forwarders and
controller.
The protocols can be Netconf, BGP, etc.
Question 2:
If a traditional NMS provides open
programming interfaces, is it an SDN network
structure?
Answer:
Traditional NMS provides centralized management,
but no centralized control plane; therefore, it is not
the SDN structure. It partially implements service
automation, but does not simplify network, enhance
network programmability, or accelerate service
provisioning.
SDN Controller Architecture
Third-party application
OpenStack Policy control and enforcement APP

RESTful

Controller
App L3VPN APP L2VPN APP Service chain APP

API

Network resource layer FARIC Path calculation Topology management

NE abstraction layer Logical router Logical switch Logical optical device Logical VAS

NE drive layer OF NETCONF PCEP BGP

Forwarding plane

Controller hardware requirements: a group of Layer 2 connected servers or virtual machine (VM)
Contents

1 Why SDN?

2 SDN Network Architecture

3 Challenges

4 Conclusion
Contents

3 Challenges

Reliability

Performance

Open capability
Reliability of SDN Network and
Traditional Network
Bottleneck
Traditional network
Fully distributed network structure
Automatic network convergence
upon failure
Highest reliability

SDN network
Centralized control
Network convergence depends on
controller
The controller reduces network
reliability
Weak Points in the Reliability of SDN Network
The controller does not work
because a power failure occurs in
The server where the controller the equipment room or data
runs is faulty SDN controller center or a hazard such as an
earthquake occurs

1 2
4
Data center
3
The controller software fails
The communication between
controller and forwarder is
interrupted
Solution to Issue 1 - Server Redundancy
SDN controller

Failure

Backup
Active controller Active Backup
controller controller
Solution to Issue 2 - Protective
Switchover of Distributed SDN
Controllers
APP1 backup APP2 backup
APP1 process APP2 process
process process
Service app layer

Process of NE Process of NE Process of NE

resource 2, backup resource 1, backup resource 3, backup
Network
Process of NE Process of NE Process of NE Process of NE Process of NE
operating system resource 1 resource 4, backup resource 4 resource 2 resource 3

Distributed system Node monitoring Node monitoring Node monitoring

process, active process, backup process, backup
middleware

Commercial OS LINUX LINUX LINUX LINUX LINUX

Server or VM Server or VM Server or VM Server or VM Server or VM

Hardware layer

The distributed controller structure can address the problems such as process suspension and software
failures. Three monitoring processes can prevent failures between two points.
Solution to Issue 3 - Protection on
Communication Between SDN Controller
and Network
SDN controller

1
2
Dedicated
Each Ethernet interface on controller
server can send and receive packets
management
network 3

The controller can connect to

the forwarding network through
The controller connects to the
dedicated management
forwarding network through at least
network
two links
Solution to Issue 4 - Remote Disaster
Recovery Center

Remote hot-
standby controller

Dual-node hot-standby

Active
controller
Contents

3 Challenges

Reliability

Performance

Open Capability
Performance Requirements on SDN
Controller Structure

Time
The failure convergence time of a network with an SDN controller deployed must
be close to that of a traditional network.

Space
The DC must have the ability to support millions of OVSs.

On the DCI/metro/core NETWORK, each controller needs to manage 2000

devices.

In the IPRAN access scenario, each controller needs to control 20000 devices.
SDN Network Convergence Time Analysis
Notify the controller

Notify all nodes of the fault of the fault Controller calculates
Detect a all the affected paths
fault Controller updates all
Detect a

All nodes calculate affected paths
fault
paths and update
routes

Traditional network SDN network

Convergence time of traditional Local route calculation on routers

Fault detection t1+ Notify the entire network t2+ Local route update on routers t4
network T1= t3+
Convergence time of SDN network
Fault detection t1+ Notify only the controller t2'+ Centralized route calculation t3'+ Route update on controller t4'
T2=

To shorten the SDN network convergence time, the centralized route calculation time t3' and route update time on controller t4' must be
shortened. The fault notification time t2' is shorter than t2, so the key to shorten SDN network convergence time is the algorithm,
hardware performance, and distributed computing capability of the controller.
SDN Controller Controls Large-Sized
Networks with High Scalability
Controller
Distributed parallel
Path calculation Path calculation Path calculation calculation
node node node

Distributed memory
database

TOPO DB TOPO DB TOPO DB

Dynamic deployment
NE resource of SCALEOUT
NE resource NE resource
node node node

Concurrent data
Server 1 sending and receiving
Server 2 Server 3
of multiple servers
Contents

3 Challenges

Reliability

Performance

Open Capability
Open Programming Structure of Controller
App programming platform
APP (Client) API
provided by controller

App layer

RESTful API Integrated app layer 3rd APP

Controller

App layer Native APP Internal API

Resource layer Topology Resource layer Topology

management management

NE abstraction layer
Logical router Logical switch
Logical optical
Logical VAS
NE abstraction Logical
layer router Logical switch
Logical optical
Logical VAS
device device

NE drive layerOF/NETCONF PCEP/BGP 3rd DRIVER NE drive layerOF/NETCONF PCEP/BGP 3rd DRIVER

Client/Server model Embedded programming structure

Open Southbound Interfaces Support
Multi-Vendor Forwarders
Controller
Resource layer Topology management

NE abstraction layer
Logical route Logical switch
Logical optical
Logical VAS
device

NE drive layer Openflow Vendor B PlugIn Vendor C PlugIn How to solve the multi-vendor
hardware compatibility issue:
Standard OF protocol
Forwarder The controller supports vendor-
specific PlugIn function

Vendor A
Vendor B Vendor C
Supports OpenFlow
Typical APP Service Logic
APP Typical app service logic:
1. User service/policy input Service requirement
Obtain network resources and status and make
analysis
Deliver policy and control information
Service deployment verification
5. Network status API
change notification
Controller
4. Verification
Policy control interface 3. Path, service,
policy delivery
Monitoring interface

Upper-layer service
interface Tool interface
Resource status
interface

Path control interface

2. Network resource status

Forwarder
Open Programmable System (OPS)
VNC AgileTE AgileGRE
installation installation installation
package package package

Huawei APP Store

1. Browse and download

Controller API
App layer AgileTE 3rd APP
APP manager
2. Install APP operation frame

API

Resource layer Topology management

NE abstraction layer Logical router Logical switch Logical optical device Logical VAS

NE drive layer OF/NETCONF PCEP/BGP 3rd DRIVER

Contents

1 Why SDN?

2 SDN Network Architecture

3 Challenges

4 Conclusion
Conclusion
The essence of SDN is defining the network by using software. SDN enhances the
programmability of a network
SDN is network reconstruction. The road to SDN is rough, but has a bright
future.
"Openness" Is A Beautiful Flower
Huawei Agile Controller OPS - 2014
Contents

1 Huawei Agile Controller OPS Overview

2 Application and Cases

3 Conclusion
Huawei Agile Controller OPS Overview
Openness boosts system
Microsoft cloud
management system 21ViaNet data center connection OpenStack interconnection integration and compatibility
Service/app National college programming When the IOE-free concept becomes a
Alibaba PoAP
contest hot topic, many vendors provide the
Integration solutions that reduce Capex
C Java
Agile Restful provides open
Netconf
Controller- Python Rest capability
Upper-layer service
programming
environment Performance
Tool
monitoring Fast service development and
Security monitoring Event monitoring provisioning
Agile From several years/months to several
Resource status Routing protocol
Agility
Controller weeks/days
Policy control Path control

Management
Server
protocol
Simplified operation & maintenance,
System management Forwarding
Physical automatic management
devices Operation & maintenance efficiency increases
Simplicity multiple times, and Opex is greatly reduced
Agile Controller OPS Components
Agile Controller Open Programmability System is an open programmable ecosystem that can be deployed anywhere (embedded to device, controller,
collaboration-layer device, client or deployed independently) and consists of a series of components. It implements multi-layer capability openness
including network control and management. The OPS supports integration and interconnection with third-party applications, implementing fast service
innovation.

Just remember:
Agile Controller OPS is a powerful
adhesive and an integration tool for agile
networks. It can effectively joint network
applications and the SDN network.

OPS components
Why Do We Need Openness?

Customization

Simple or complex?

Is it fast?

Ecological chain reform

Traditional network SDN network

Milestone (1)

Feb, 2014, Huawei created the "traffic Feb, 2014, Huawei completed the design
and pipe matching" concept, aiming at of 10 groups of network-level core APIs,
improving resource use efficiency and simplifying NE-level APIs (reduced 20
reducing TCO for customers. thousands of NE-level APIs).

Design
Milestone (2)

19-20 Apr, 2014, Huawei provided a complete

agile development environment including algorithm
Oct-Nov, 2013, Huawei has
container and Eclipse to support the first national
completed the Agile GRE and Agile
college SDN innovation contest. Huawei made
TE projects with 21viaNet.
contribution in promoting the SDN technology and
developing country's innovation capability.

Application
Milestone (3)
Sep-Oct, 2013, Huawei DC switches
have integrated with Microsoft OMI
Release 2.0, and are qualified in
procurement list of Microsoft cloud.
Microsoft has announced this result in
North America.
OMI: Open Management Infrastructure, which is an information model for standardizing managed objectives.
Jan-Mar, 2014,
Southbound interfaces are
integrated with
Nov, 2013-Mar, 2014, OpenDayLight, opening the
Huawei completed the seamless NE integration channel.
connection with OpenStack, implementing
centralized management/coordination on
data center hardware devices.
Integration
Milestone (4)

ONF Apr, 2014, Huawei has

Sep, 2013, Huawei has provided 10 groups of
finished 10 I2RS drafts. network-level core APIs
Mar, 2014, Huawei open to ONF (in progress).
information model becomes
a standard of ONF NBI.

Standard
Why Do We Need to Integrate with
Microsoft OMI?
Agile Controller OPS has successfully connected with Microsoft OMI and obtained the
certificate of Microsoft. This is a great milestone in the integration process of Huawei. It is a
foundation for opening Huawei operating system, agile controller, and OPS.
At the same time, Microsoft logo has been tagged on Huawei DC TOR devices. This means
that Huawei TOR devices have been recommended globally and can be managed by Microsoft
OMI.

Link:
http://windowsservercatalog.com/results.aspx?text=Huawei&=Go&bCatID=1282
&avc=10&ava=0&OR=5&chtext=&cstext=&csttext=&chbtext=
21ViaNet Agile Series: Matching the
Traffic and Pipes
21Vianet Group, Inc. (21ViaNet for short) is the largest carrier-neutral
internet data center services provider in China. It aims at providing
industry-leading, high-quality network interconnection services for
customers.
21ViaNet is a second-level carrier. It provides carrier-neutral DCI service
and also resells bandwidth to enterprises. Agile GRE solution is developed and
Traffic traverses multiple first-level carriers' public networks. released within one month
The expense for inter-carrier is high, and settlement between carriers is not
required.
Agile TE solution is developed and
released within two months
First College SDN Application
Innovation Contest
19-20 Apr, 2014, Huawei sponsored the
first college SDN application innovation Perfect
Define network
Calculate satisfied
contest. Huawei provided a complete resource capability
paths according to
through programming
constraints
environment for the contest, supporting interfaces
agile network innovation in two ways, and
assisting colleges in talent training.
Success
Success

Basic network Network intelligent

capability algorithm
programming programming

Participants
SDN Controller Structure Has Been
Added to ONF Draft and Baseline
ONF_NBI-Controller-solutions-v0.5.pdf
Network

onf2014.071_NBI_Framework_and_Archit.06
Network Plane
Service
Layer Built-in Service APP/ Built-in O&M APP/
Service Policy Binding Tool

Network
Protocol Layer
Application operation model logical layer Routing Protocol L 2 Protocol Management APP
Protocol
Control Protocol

Perfor-
mance
Protocol object layer Monitor Network
Virtual Network Resouce (VN, VC)
Resource
Layer
Resource object layer Network Topology
(Layer & link & node)
Interface Object Data Path Definition Flow Definition

Policy object layer Network

Policy Layer
QoS Policy ACL Policy Flow Policy
Application plane Service container object layer
Fault
Monitor
Network
Container
Virtual Network
Service operation model logical layer Layer

System
SoftWare Object/HardWare Object/ Management
System Process Software Component
System Object Layer System Info
Monitor Install & Update Management
Infrastructure
Plane
Hardware and Software model layer Software & Hardware

Infrastructure plane Object Layer

I/O Driver Info Storage Management
Logical and Virtual
Distributed Node Mgmt

Management plane operation model logical layer

Operation Model layer:
Fault/performance/configuration/security Contributors
management
Tina Tsou
Meta model layer database
Base Plane SQL/XML/Other... Xiaofeng Ji
Felix Lu
10 Groups of Core APIs
Topology
Network
topology
ServiceFlow
Control service IP Path
flow IP path control

uTunnle vSwitch
Unified tunnel Virtual switch
10 groups
of core
API
netL3VPN
vLSR
Network-level
Virtual MPLS router
L3VPN
Contributors
netL2Vpn Xiaofeng Ji
vRouter
Network-level
Virtual router Dong feng
L2VPN VDC Meng Kun
Virtual data
center
API1: onf2014.252_Core_APIs_-_Service_Flow.01
Openness Unleashes Your Potency and
Creates Values

Easy environment

Fast version iteration

Multiple programming languages
will be released at the (Java/C/Python)
end of this month Efficient programming Simple development environment,
Onsite programming complete tools
in several minutes

Multi-layer open APIs

Integration with multiple
Abundant cloud management
capabilities platforms in industry