Lab Setup Hardware Requirements

1. PCs for OpenFlow? Switches

These are PC1, PC2, PC3 shown in the figure. We'll run OpenFlow? software reference design on those PCs. Any Linux PC would work, but there are some dependency on the linux distribution. Please check the release notes on OpenFlow reference design. Depending on the network topology you would like to create, you need to install NICs (network interface cards) on those PCs. In the configuration shown in the figure, you need three NICs on each PC.

2. A PC for OpenFlow? Controller

It is PC4 shown in the figure. Again, any Linux PC would work. Currently we have three different types of OpenFlow? controllers and each controller has some preference in Linux distribution. Here is the recommended distribution.

3. Switching Hub

This is used to crate OpenFlow? control network so that the controller PC and OpenFlow? switch PCs are IP reachable.

4. Client PCs

Used to generate traffic on OpenFlow? network. Any IP host works.

-- MasaKobayashi - 13 Jan 2010