Controller component of Openflow based SDN is supposed to have most of the networking intelligence. One might have gathered by this time that the SDN is expected to provide programmability of network devices rather than simple configurability. SDN Controller component is going to be complex entity in SDN. Software Engineering principles tell us that complexity is only manageable with modularity. Complexity and associated modularity is not new in web based programming projects (Server Side programming). There is so much of innovation that already happened on programming and modularity in server operating systems and middlware packages. These lessons can be used to manage the controller complexity too.
Many programming languages and associated frameworks are popular in Server Side programming. Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby and Java are some of the popular programming languages. There are many layers of frameworks defined to ease the application programming. One thing to observe is that, there are very few server side complex projects implemented in C or C++. That tells us something.
Modularity, several frameworks and large number of libraries available in these programming languages makes the application development fast, maintainable and easily extendable. This allows agile development, faster implementations of innovations with less cost of development.
In SDN world too, this was realized and one would see Controller Network Operating Systems in Java and Python already today.
In my view, Java would be the software platform choice on controllers. Main reasons being - big pool of talent, great middle-ware packages, large number of libraries, backing of many big companies, wide usage performance and access to hardware accelerators.
I have found one controller by name BEACON which is Controller Networking Operating system based on Java. It uses modular architecture of java frameworks. It uses spring framework, OSGi for developing applications as service bundles. Even controller side of openflow protocol was implemented in Java language. See the BEACON link for more information.
I already hear that some vendors are developing MPLS LDP, Routing Protocols in Java.
Do 'C' network programmers need to worry?
Not in short term. If Openflow based SDN is going to pick up, there would be more work on the controller side than the device. If Controllers are not based on C language, then there would be less demand for C programmers. Since Network programmers tend to have better understanding of the networking field, low level programming and Protocol knowledge, their expertize would continue to sought after, but networking programmers now need to know much more than C. Employers will expect future Engineers to know as much Java/Python as C.
Many programming languages and associated frameworks are popular in Server Side programming. Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby and Java are some of the popular programming languages. There are many layers of frameworks defined to ease the application programming. One thing to observe is that, there are very few server side complex projects implemented in C or C++. That tells us something.
Modularity, several frameworks and large number of libraries available in these programming languages makes the application development fast, maintainable and easily extendable. This allows agile development, faster implementations of innovations with less cost of development.
In SDN world too, this was realized and one would see Controller Network Operating Systems in Java and Python already today.
In my view, Java would be the software platform choice on controllers. Main reasons being - big pool of talent, great middle-ware packages, large number of libraries, backing of many big companies, wide usage performance and access to hardware accelerators.
I have found one controller by name BEACON which is Controller Networking Operating system based on Java. It uses modular architecture of java frameworks. It uses spring framework, OSGi for developing applications as service bundles. Even controller side of openflow protocol was implemented in Java language. See the BEACON link for more information.
I already hear that some vendors are developing MPLS LDP, Routing Protocols in Java.
Do 'C' network programmers need to worry?
Not in short term. If Openflow based SDN is going to pick up, there would be more work on the controller side than the device. If Controllers are not based on C language, then there would be less demand for C programmers. Since Network programmers tend to have better understanding of the networking field, low level programming and Protocol knowledge, their expertize would continue to sought after, but networking programmers now need to know much more than C. Employers will expect future Engineers to know as much Java/Python as C.
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