The HPE SDN ecosystem includes the following:
•
Infrastructure.
The infrastructure layer is made up of network devices, typically but not
exclusively routers and switches. The devices are OpenFlow-enabled. An OpenFlow switch
consists of one or more flow tables and a group table, which perform packet lookups and
forwarding and provide an OpenFlow channel to the HPE VAN SDN Controller. The switch
communicates with the controller and the controller manages the switch via the OpenFlow
protocol. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has more than 50 switch models that are
OpenFlow-enabled.
•
Control.
HPE VAN SDN Controller provides centralized control and automation for an SDN
network. The controller controls policy and forwarding decisions, which are communicated
to the OpenFlow-enabled switches in the data center or campus network. A variety of Hewlett
Packard Enterprise and third-party SDN applications can leverage the controller to
automatically deliver the necessary business and network service levels.
•
Applications.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise and third-party SDN applications provide a true
end-to-end service level for network performance, quality of service, and security, which can
be tuned to an applications’ needs. For example, SDN applications can inspect flows, or
perform other network control functions via the HPE VAN SDN Controller. Hewlett Packard
Enterprise SDN applications include: HPE Network Protector SDN Application, HPE Network
Optimizer SDN Application and HPE Network Visualizer SDN Application.
The extensibility and open APIs of the HPE VAN SDN Controller allows new applications to
be created that make requests of the underlying network, without the need to physically
uproot or re-configure the underlying infrastructure. Northbound APIs utilize the REST
architecture and provide easy access to applications that are integrated directly in the
controller or off the controller. Native APIs, provided in Java, deliver support to Network
Control applications that are integrated directly in the controller.
•
Management.
The HPE Intelligent Management Center (IMC) VAN SDN Manager software
integrates with HPE IMC to provide administrators with a single interface to manage both
the traditional network and the SDN. The IMC VAN SDN Manager Software monitors and
manages all three layers of the SDN architecture: infrastructure, control, and application,
providing comprehensive management—including fault, configuration, accounting, monitoring,
and security for the controller and OpenFlow infrastructure. IMC provides full controller
application life cycle management and monitoring, reporting of network service status and
OpenFlow-related information, and SDN network visualization.
In addition, the HPE VAN SDN Controller provides REST and Java APIs that enable
applications to interact with the controller to receive alerts, to get information about the
network, devices, and controller, and to perform various network management tasks.
The HPE SDN ecosystem
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