Since it was launched, the OpenFlow technology, due to its far-reaching influence to come on the network architecture and switch market worth 16 billion dollars, has been attached great importance by vendors across the world. As tides of SDN devices are flushing towards us, the conformance test is playing a swelling role in normalizing the market and promoting the industry. The reporter learns that the first all-covering OpenFlow 1.3 conformance testing tool in the world led by Global SDN Certified Testing Center—OFsuite—has been officially launched, which has entered the process of ONF official verification by the testing and certificating tool. 

OFsuite testing tool logo

OFSuite covers all testing cases and promotes the OpenFlow process

It is learnt that OFSuite is a comprehensive test kit of OpenFlow protocol, consisting of 400 plus testing scripts, which successfully ranges through all the conformance testing norms of OpenFlow 1.3. OFSuite can be run on any general Linux server, and once connected to the tested device (DUT), the OFSuite can execute the conformance certificating and test on switches. It is different from the limitation of the previous testing tools, and the OFSuite successfully puts the paper-top norms into practice and establishes the channel of interconnection and interlinks with devices supplied by real vendors. Feedbacks from real testing can provide first-hand information to guide objectively the R&D and accelerate the commercialization.

OFsuite bears significance not only in this regard, but also it promotes the OpenFlow 1.3 conformance testing project, which unshackles the deadlock that the testing norms cannot be complete until the testing tools give the feedback and that the testing tools cannot conduct development until the testing norms are complete. This not only creates a new landscape for testing and certificating projects, but also makes its due contribution to and an example for the whole SDN ecological sphere with its model of code prioritized over norms.

The globally first dedicated OpenFlow 1.3 testing tool—“Designed by China”

During recent years, as the SDN is booming fast, the world is witnessing ever increasing engagement of China in the global SDN technical innovation and industrial promotion. It is worthy of noting that the all-covering OpenFlow 1.3 conformance testing tool is developed and maintained independently by BII-Global SDN Certified Testing Center.

In 2013, ONF authorized the first SDN testing and certificating lab in the world—Global SDN Certified Testing Center, which is located in China. Since then, theGlobal SDN Certified Testing Center has been actively engaging itself in the ONF testing, the testing norms formulation of the interconnection working group, and the system of testing and certificating to promote the technical standards and commercial deployment of SDN.

Mr. Li Zhen, director of the Global SDN Certified Testing Center said that the success of OFSuite development is largely attributed to the huge market demand of SDN from China. At present, many well-known vendors both at home and abroad are now conducting the preliminary tests of OpenFlow 1.3 in the center. The OFSuite’s launch will provide a great help to these vendors. On top of its effect of significantly reducing the testing cycle, OFSuite’s rich features will well facilitate the engineers for the product modification and updating.