What's here?
------------
-This distribution includes a Linux-specific reference implementation
-of an OpenFlow switch, comprising:
+This distribution includes two different reference implementations of
+an OpenFlow switch. The first implementation, which is closely tied
+to Linux because it is partially implemented in the Linux kernel, has
+the following components:
- A Linux kernel module that implements the flow table and
- OpenFlow protocol.
+ OpenFlow protocol, in the datapath directory.
- secchan, a program that implements the secure channel
component of the reference switch.
- dpctl, a tool for configuring the kernel module.
+The second implementation is a single userspace program, named
+"switch", that integrates all three parts of an OpenFlow switch.
+
This distribution includes some additional software as well:
- - controller, a simple program connects to any number of
+ - controller, a simple program that connects to any number of
OpenFlow switches, commanding them to act as regular MAC
learning switches.
Platform support
----------------
-Other than the Linux kernel module, the software in the OpenFlow
-distribution should compile under Unix-like environments such as
-Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, and Solaris. Our primary test environment
-is Debian GNU/Linux. Please contact us with portability-related bug
-reports or patches.
+Other than the Linux kernel module and userspace switch
+implementation, the software in the OpenFlow distribution should
+compile under Unix-like environments such as Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X,
+and Solaris. Our primary test environment is Debian GNU/Linux.
+Please contact us with portability-related bug reports or patches.
The Linux kernel module is, of course, Linux-specific, and the secchan
and dpctl utilities will not be as useful without the kernel module.
2.6 releases from 2.6.15 onward and Linux 2.4 releases from 2.4.20
onward should also work.
+The userspace switch implementation should be easy to port to
+Unix-like systems. The interface to network devices, in netdev.c, is
+the only code that should need to change. So far, only Linux is
+supported. We welcome ports to other platforms.
+
GCC is the expected compiler.
Bugs/Shortcomings
----------
[1] OpenFlow: Enabling Innovation in College Networks. Whitepaper.
- <http://openflowswitch.org/alpha/openflow-wp-v0.1.pdf>
+ <http://openflowswitch.org/documents/openflow-wp-latest.pdf>
[2] OpenFlow Switch Specification.
- <http://openflowswitch.org/alpha/openflow-spec-v0.2.pdf>
+ <http://openflowswitch.org/documents/openflow-spec-latest.pdf>
Contact
-------