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2.1 Application Programming Interface

The document outlines the role of APIs in Software-Defined Networking (SDN), detailing both southbound and northbound APIs. Southbound APIs, such as OpenFlow, NETCONF, and OpFlex, facilitate communication between controllers and network devices, while northbound APIs enable interaction between the SDN controller and applications. The document also highlights the lack of a unified northbound interface and the use of REST for communication between applications on different systems.

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Mazidul Islam
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23 views5 pages

2.1 Application Programming Interface

The document outlines the role of APIs in Software-Defined Networking (SDN), detailing both southbound and northbound APIs. Southbound APIs, such as OpenFlow, NETCONF, and OpFlex, facilitate communication between controllers and network devices, while northbound APIs enable interaction between the SDN controller and applications. The document also highlights the lack of a unified northbound interface and the use of REST for communication between applications on different systems.

Uploaded by

Mazidul Islam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The API’s

Controller and the API


• The controller uses the API to pass instructions on to your routers,
switches, or other network gear.
• There are two sets of APIs that SDN uses and have different functions:
• Southbound API:Logical southbound interface (SBI) APIs are used for
communication between controllers and network devices. They allow
the two devices to communicate so that the controller can program the data
plane forwarding tables of your routers and switches.
Standards for Southbound APIs
• Standards for Southbound APIs:
• OpenFlow: Describes an industry-standard API, which the ONF defines. It configures
white label switches, meaning that they are non proprietary, and as a result defines
the flow path through the network. All the configuration is done through NETCONF.
• NETCONF: Although not all devices support NETCONF yet, what this proivdes is a
network management protocol standardized by the IETF. Using RPC, you can install,
manipulate and delete configurations of network devices using XML.
• OpFlex: The name of the southbound API in the Cisco world is OpFlex, an open
standard, distributed control system. First it sends detailed and complex
instructions to the control Sometimes it uses a declarative SDN model because the
APIC or Controller, sends a more abstract or summary policy to the network
elements
Northbound APIs
• Is used to communicated from the SDN controller and the
applications running over the network, you will use northbound
interfaces (NBIs).
• Northbound API: Is used to communicated from the SDN controller
and the applications running over the network, you will use
northbound interfaces (NBIs).
NBI Applications
• The NBI applications include a wide variety of automated network services,
from network virtualization and dynamic virtual network provisioning to
more granular firewall monitoring , user identity management and access
policy control. Unfortunately at the moment there is no single northbound
interface that you can use for communication between the controller and
all the applications. 9 out of 10 times the applications used by the NBIs will
be on the same system as the APIC controller, so there wont be a need to
send messages over the network since both program are on the same
system. Rarely, but on occasion if they are not on the same system you can
run something called REST (Representational State Transfer) comes into
play; it will use HTTP messages to transfer data over the API for applications
that sit on different hosts

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