ABNO: A Feasible SDN Approach for Multivendor IP and Optical Networks

Software defined networking (SDN) and network programmability offer the ability to direct application service requests toward the IP/MPLS and optical network. The SDN approach can help operators to reduce the CAPEX and OPEX in the networks, thanks to the optimization of the resources and the reduction of the complexity in the operation of the network. However, the proposed SDN controllers in the market are based on monolithic software, which is not adapted to current heterogeneous network environments. Such SDN solutions are like a "black box," and their deployment leads to different problems for the operator: 1) vendor lock-in (solutions in the market are mono-vendor); 2) lack of support with non-OpenFlow networks; and 3) problems in supporting E2E multidomain path establishment in current networks. The application-based network operations (ABNO) architecture is proposed in IETF as a framework that enables network automation and programmability thanks to the utilization of standard protocols and components. This work not only justifies the architecture but also presents an experimental demonstration for a multilayer and multitechnology scenario.