BIG DATA

The Indiana Center for Network Translational Research and Education (InCNTRE) recently completed the first-ever OpenFlow conformance test, conducted in accordance with the Open Networking Foundation’s (ONF) OpenFlow Conformance Testing Program.

InCNTRE’s Software-Defined Networking Interoperability Lab (SDN Lab) tested NEC Corporation switches, the NEC Programmable Flow Switches PF5240 and PF5248. As part of the process, the SDN Lab sent its report and recommendation to ONF, which made NEC the first company to receive the ONF Certificate of Conformance. On October 10, ONF also presented InCNTRE with a plaque of recognition to commemorate their role in the conformance test and certification.

"InCNTRE is excited to be involved in the first OpenFlow Conformance Certification," said Ron Milford, InCNTRE associate director of testing and interoperability services and vice chair of the ONF Testing and Interoperability Working Group. "This is a critical step in the evolution of OpenFlow, and paves the way for greater adoption of SDN by organizations of all sizes."

The conformance testing program provides opportunities for vendors to prove that their equipment works with a specific version of OpenFlow. On announcing the conformance program, ONF selected the InCNTRE SDN Lab as the first independent lab approved for testing. The SDN Lab is now one of three independent labs approved for conformance testing.

"Tested at InCNTRE, the first ONF certified lab for conformance testing, NEC is honored to be the first to have passed a comprehensive OpenFlow conformance test successfully and receive the OpenFlow Switch Specification 1.0.1 certificate for its Programmable Flow Switches PF5240 and PF5248," said Akio Iijima, chief product architect of the NEC converged network division. "We believe the certification further reinforces our leading position, while demonstrating our commitment to continue providing innovative network solutions."

The ONF Certificate of Conformance is the program’s highest level of assurance, signifying that a vendor’s networking hardware and software switches work with a particular version of OpenFlow. The NEC switches are the very first switches of any vendor, and of any model, that conform to OpenFlow 1.0. Product packaging for the switches will now display an OpenFlow conformance logo showing that it is certified to work with OpenFlow 1.0. Now that ONF has issued the first certification, additional companies will likely look to have their networking equipment certified as well.

"Standardizing OpenFlow is key to allowing more vendors to offer many SDN technologies on their devices," notes Milford. ONF's OpenFlow Testing and Interoperability Working Group defines the standards for product testing and OpenFlow certification. The InCNTRE SDN Lab engaged in pilot testing to validate the test specification prior to its release in July. Since then, the SDN Lab has conducted pre-testing with a variety of companies, including NEC, to help them prepare for the official test.

"During pre-testing, we helped NEC work through any remaining issues before the official conformance test," said Milford. "We look forward to continuing on with a similar process for 1.3 OpenFlow and other ONF specifications."