The OpenDaylight project is an open source platform for Software Defined
Networking (SDN) that uses open protocols to provide centralized, programmatic
-control and network device monitoring. Like many other SDN controllers,
-OpenDaylight supports OpenFlow, as well as offering ready-to-install network
-solutions as part of its platform.
+control and network device monitoring.
Much as your operating system provides an interface for the devices that
comprise your computer, OpenDaylight provides an interface that allows you to
-connect network devices quickly and intelligently for optimal network
-performance.
-
-It’s extremely helpful to understand that setting up your networking environment
-with OpenDaylight is not a single software installation. While your first
-chronological step is to install OpenDaylight, you install additional
-functionality packaged as Karaf features to suit your specific needs.
-
-Before walking you through the initial OpenDaylight installation, this guide
-presents a fuller picture of OpenDaylight’s framework and functionality so you
-understand how to set up your networking environment. The guide then takes you
-through the installation process.
+control and manage network devices.
What’s different about OpenDaylight
===================================
-Major distinctions of OpenDaylight’s SDN compared to traditional SDN options are
+Major distinctions of OpenDaylight’s SDN compared to other SDN options are
the following:
* A microservices architecture, in which a “microservice” is a particular
protocol or service that a user wants to enable within their installation of
the OpenDaylight controller, for example:
- * A plugin that provides connectivity to devices via the OpenFlow or BGP
- protocols
- * An L2-Switch or a service such as Authentication, Authorization, and
- Accounting (AAA).
-
-* Support for a wide and growing range of network protocols beyond OpenFlow,
- including SNMP, NETCONF, OVSDB, BGP, PCEP, LISP, and more.
-* Support for developing new functionality comprised of additional networking
- protocols and services.
-
-.. note:: A thorough understanding of the microservices architecture is
- important for experienced network developers who want to create new solutions
- in OpenDaylight. If you are new to networking and OpenDaylight, you most
- likely won’t design solutions, but you should comprehend the microservices
- concept to understand how OpenDaylight works and how it differs from other
- SDN programs.
-
-What you’ll find in this guide
-==============================
-
-To set up your environment, you first install OpenDaylight followed by the
-Apache Karaf features that offer the functionality you require. The OpenDaylight
-Getting Started Guide covers feature descriptions, OpenDaylight installation
-procedures, and feature installation.
+ * A plugin that provides connectivity to devices via the OpenFlow protocols
+ (openflowplugin).
+ * A platform service such as Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting
+ (AAA).
+ * A network service providing VM connectivity for OpenStack (netvirt).
+* Support for a wide and growing range of network protocols: OpenFlow, P4
+ BGP, PCEP, LISP, NETCONF, OVSDB, SNMP and more.
-The Getting Started Guide also includes other helpful information, with the
-following organization:
+* Model Driven Service Abstraction Layer (MD-SAL). Yang models play a key role
+ in OpenDaylight and are used for:
-#. An overview of OpenDaylight and common use models
-#. OpenDaylight concepts and tools
-#. OpenDaylight installation instructions
-#. OpenDaylight user interface
-#. Setting Up Cluster
-#. Persistence and Backup
-#. Security considerations
-#. How to get help
+ * Creating datastore schemas (tree based structure).
+ * Generating application REST API (RESTCONF).
+ * Automatic code generation (Java interfaces and Data Transfer Objects).