Custom pipeline-model

The OpenFlow instance supports a pipeline-model type 'custom' on the v3 blades that allows the SDN controllers to create, modify, and destroy OpenFlow pipelines of its choice in hardware. The instance can be configured with its pipeline-model set to custom only if it is running in 'v3 mode'.

The capabilities provided by this pipeline-model include:

  • SDN controller can create an OpenFlow pipeline with multiple flow tables, each with its own unique match and action capability.

  • All the flow-tables in this pipeline-model will reside in hardware.

  • Flow tables in this pipeline-model can be of two types:a. Tables with no wildcard and mask capabilities called HASH.b. Tables with wildcard and mask capabilities called TCAM.

  • If the size of the tables requested by controller cannot be accommodated in hardware, the request is rejected.

  • A maximum of 12 tables can be configured per instance by the controller.

  • The minimum number of flows in a custom HASH table is 16.

  • The minimum number of flows in a custom TCAM table is 2.

See Flow table capabilities for the match and action capabilities supported in this pipeline-model.