Network virtualization offers flexibility by decoupling virtual network from the underlying physical network. Software-Defined Network (SDN) could utilize the virtual network. For example, in Software-Defined Networks, the entire network can be run on commodity hardware and operating systems that use virtual elements. However, this could present new challenges of data plane performance. In this paper, we present an empirical model of the packet processing delay of a widely used OpenFlow virtual switch, the Open vSwitch. In the empirical model, we analyze the effect of varying Random Access Memory (RAM) and network parameters on the performance of the Open vSwitch. Our empirical model captures the non-network processing delays, which could be used in enhancing the network modeling and simulation.
The OpenFlow concept of flow-based forwarding and separation of the control plane from the data plane provides a new flexibility in network innovation. While initially used solely in the research domain, OpenFlow is now finding its way into commercial applications. However, this creates new challenges, as questions of OpenFlow scalability and performance have not yet been answered. This paper is a first step towards that goal. Based on measurements of switching times of current OpenFlow hardware, we derive a basic model for the forwarding speed and blocking probability of an OpenFlow switch combined with an OpenFlow controller and validate it using a simulation. This model can be used to estimate the packet sojourn time and the probability of lost packets in such a system and can give hints to developers and researchers on questions how an OpenFlow architecture will perform given certain parameters. Software defined networks (SDNs) introduced the concept of decoupling control and data planes which is a paradigm shift. The OpenFlow protocol is one of a number of technologies that enables this decoupling and, in effect, commodifies network equipment. As of now, there is still limited work that has been done towards modeling the transit delay across OpenFlow switches experienced by network traffic. In this work we develop a stochastic model for the path latency in Open vSwitch (used together with a POX controller) based on measurements made in experiments performed on three different platforms which include 1) Mininet, 2) MikroTik RouterBoard 750GL and 3) GENI testbed softswitch. We propose a log-normal mix model (LNMM) and show that it offers a R2 value of greater than 0.90 for most of our experiments. We also demonstrate how the M M 1 models proposed in earlier studies is a poor fit.