OpenFlow Test Suites & Test Tools

Are you looking for OpenFlow Test Suites & OpenFlow Test Tools? Do you want to perform OpenFlow protocol conformance testing? This article captures the list of OpenFlow test suites and test tools for you to test the OpenFlow controllers and switches.

Also read:

OpenFlow Switch Vendors
List of OpenFlow Controllers

1) OpenFlow Test Framework

OpenFlow Test Framework (OFTest) is the Python based open source test framework maintained by the OpenFlow Foundation. This Test Framework is targeted at testing OpenFlow switch implementations. It is not meant to test a system with a OpenFlow switch and a OpenFlow controller. However, you can modify many of the test cases and the underlying framework to adapt to that environment.

OFTest is a test suite for testing OpenFlow 1.1 compatible switches. OFTests starts with the very basics of OpenFlow, but provides a framework for development of more complicated tests. Parts of OFTest are being adapted and used for standards based compliance testing. You can find more information at

http://www.openflow.org/wk/index.php/OFTestTutorial

2) NICE

NICE is a python based tool to test OpenFlow controller application for the NOX controller platform through a combination of model checking and symbolic execution.

The symbolic engine is called by the model checker when the network model requires the generation of new packets to inject. NICE tool applies model checking to explore the state space of the entire system—the controller, the switches, and the hosts. You can find more information at

http://code.google.com/p/nice-of/

3) Spirent Test Center

Spirent Test Center supports OpenFlow protocol testing. The following are the key features supported by Spirent Test Center to test OpenFlow.

Interoperability with legacy switches in a hybrid environment
Interoperability with OpenFlow devices in a multi-vendor environment
Support for line-rate throughput with no loss or errors
Packet latency comparable or better than hardware-based traditional switches and routers
Load balancing and failover functionality and performance
Performance of security in a multi-tenant environment within and across multiple data centers

http://www.spirent.com/Networks-and-Applications/OpenFlow

Brocade and Spirent has demonstrated their interoperability with 100G OpenFlow network traffic, in a Australian Network Operators Group conference.

4) IXIA IxANVL

IXIA IxANVL supports the following key features for OpenFlow testing:

OpenFlow conformance test suite
Industry standard for automated network / protocol validation
Quick and efficient tests via large, multi-node network emulations
Enhanced GUI and flexible test automation capabilities
Automated validation library for protocol compliance and interoperability
Verifies vendor design during the product’s entire life cycle

More details at http://www.ixiacom.com/solutions/sdn-openflow/products/index.php

5) Codenomicon

Codenomicon supports test suites for both OpenFlow Controller and OpenFlow switch to test security flaws and robustness problems. The following are the key features supported: