An SDN Traceroute Tool for Hybrid Networks with SDN and Legacy Switches

Abstract

Traceroute is a very useful troubleshooting tool. It reveals the routing path taken by a packet destined to a remote host. Traceroute is originally designed for the legacy IP network. However, the mechanism used by it no longer works in an SDN network. In an SDN network, there has been a similar tool called SDN traceroute that provides similar functions as traceroute. However, SDN traceroute does not work on the legacy IP network. Nowadays, hybrid networks composed of both legacy and SDN switches are expected to exist for several years. For such a hybrid network, we design and implement a tool called hybridtrace that can reveal the routing path taken by a packet that needs to traverse multiple legacy networks and SDN networks to reach its destination. In this thesis, we present the design and implementation of our tool, show the troubleshooting information provided by it, and discuss its future improvements.

Traceroute is a very useful troubleshooting tool. It reveals the routing path taken by a packet destined to a remote host. Traceroute is originally designed for the legacy IP network. However, the mechanism used by it no longer works in an SDN network. In an SDN network, there has been a similar tool called SDN traceroute that provides similar functions as traceroute. However, SDN traceroute does not work on the legacy IP network. Nowadays, hybrid networks composed of both legacy and SDN switches are expected to exist for several years. For such a hybrid network, we design and implement a tool called hybridtrace that can reveal the routing path taken by a packet that needs to traverse multiple legacy networks and SDN networks to reach its destination. In this thesis, we present the design and implementation of our tool, show the troubleshooting information provided by it, and discuss its future improvements.