Software Defined Networking Supported by IEEE 802.1Q

TL;DR

This paper explores how IEEE 802.1Q Ethernet standards can support Software Defined Networking by enabling control/data plane separation and virtualization features on existing hardware.

Contribution

It demonstrates that IEEE 802.1Q Layer 2 features inherently support SDN principles and discusses potential avenues for further research.

Findings

IEEE 802.1Q supports SDN control plane/data plane split

Existing Ethernet chips provide rich virtualization features

Potential for further SDN development on Layer 2 networks

Abstract

This paper gives an overview on how Software Defined Networking (SDN) principles can be applied to existing Ethernet merchant silicon considering the requirements modern networks face. We show that existing Layer 2 features specified by IEEE 802.1Q support SDN. The bridge architecture supports control plane/data plane split by design and also allows for external control e.g. by an SDN Controller. The data plane provided by existing chips is feature rich for network virtualization and supports even more features like OAM. We outline the principles of SDN over bridges and show a number of possibilities for further research and development.