Folders and files
This project is an implementation of the OpenFlow Protocol using the Node.js UDP Datagram Socket Library. The core functionality of this system provides a front-end user interface for the client which connects to the OpenFlow Network.
The OpenFlow network consists of a number of routers that forward messages and are controlled by a centralised switcher.
The switcher is a simple device that allows the routers to communicate with each other. It also allows the routers to communicate with the network.
This project is divided into the following sections:
- /Server
- Writen in NodeJS using the dgram and Typescript module to create a Switcher and a number of Routers.
- /Client
- An ElectronJS desktop GUI application which provides a user interface that connects to the OpenFlow Network (in /Server). Built with VueJS and Typescript
git clone https://github.com/mangledbottles/OpenFlow-Forwarding.git cd OpenFlow-Forwarding # See documentation inside /Client for installation of ElectronJS application # See documentation inside /Server for installation of NodeJS Switcher and Routers
Communication between the Switcher, multiple Routers and multiple Clients is handled by a universal Protocol Type system.
| Protocol Type | Description | Components [Origin -> Destination] |
|---|---|---|
| #0 | Switcher accepted this current Router on network | Switcher -> Router |
| #1 | New Router Detected on Network by Switcher | Router -> Switcher |
| #2 | Router querying Switcher for information about Clients from Forwarding Table | Router -> Switcher |
| #3 | Client connecting to Router to get information about Forwarding Table | Client -> Router |
| #4 | Router received information about a Client from Switcher via Flowtable | Switcher -> Router |
| #5 | Router received message instructions from Client to send message over the network | Client -> Router |
| #6 | Router received updated information about current Router | Switcher -> Router |
- Switcher is started to commence the network
- 3 Routers are started and join the network
- A client ("Alice") joins the network and is connected by the Switcher
- A secondary client ("Bob") joins the network and is connected by the Switcher
- Alice sends a message to Bob
- The message is forwarded from Alice to Router 1 to Router 2 to Router 3 and finally to Bob.
The following diagram shows the communication between the Switcher, Routers and Clients.
| No. | Time | Source | Destination | Protocol | Length | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 10.382165 | 127.0.0.1 | 127.0.0.1 | UDP | 61 | 65469 -> 51510 |
| Hexadecimal Payload | Base10 Decoded |
|---|---|
| 0000 0020 7b 22 74 79 70 65 22 3a 31 2c 22 6d 65 73 73 61 | {"type": 1, "messa |
| 0010 67 65 22 3a 22 52 6f 75 74 65 72 22 7d | ge":"Router"} |
- Router on port 65469 is sending a message to the Switcher on port 51510 trying to join the network.
- Type is set to 1, as seen in Communication Table protocol type 1.
- [0] OpenFlow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenFlow
- [1] Node Datagram Library - https://nodejs.org/api/dgram.html