在EstiNet模擬器實作一個可連接NOX 1.0 OpenFlow Controller的OpenFlow Switches模擬環境

Abstract

隨著網路的蓬勃發展及雲端運算的快速興起，網路的存取不但頻寬的使用倍增，網路路由也越來越複雜，這時舊有的網路架構似乎已經無法承受這爆炸性的成長，而OpenFlow的出現，讓這些網路問題的解決出現了一道曙光。

由於OpenFlow為下一世代網路的重要技術，因此許多學術單位以及廠商都非常積極的投入相關研究；在本篇論文中實作了一個基於EstiNet網路模擬器的OpenFlow switch module，提供研究者一個OpenFlow的網路模擬環境，該switch不但可以連接真實的NOX OpenFlow controller應用程式，還可以配合原有EstiNet emulation的功能來連接外部的NOX OpenFlow controller來進行OpenFlow的網路模擬。基於OpenFlow switch module設計上的需要，我們增加了許多的Linux kernel hacking，這些hacking是為了解決在撰寫OpenFlow switch module時所發現或延伸出的問題。這些問題修正後可以讓模擬結果更一致，甚至讓模擬的效率更好。

With the rapid development and growth of the internet and cloud computing and huge demand to access the internet, the usage of network bandwidth increases very fast and the network routing has become much more complicated these days. The OpenFlow standards are proposed to solve these problems.

Since OpenFlow plays an important role in the next-generation network technology, many research units and vendors start studying OpenFlow and put in much investment. The implementation of OpenFlow 1.0 switches over the EstiNet network simulator, which communicates with the real NOX OpenFlow controller application, and the real external NOX OpenFlow controller is presented in this paper. Many Linux kernel hackings are also added based on the needs of the OpenFlow switch module. These hackings resolve the problems found in writing the OpenFlow switch module and keep the consistency of simulation result and improve simulation speed.