1 Programmable architecture
ZENIC vDC Controller core is based on ZTE unified platform to dynamically load and unload components and program local API and NBI.
. Local API (programming interface): Provide basic network function interface to develop controller enhancement modules such as embedded APP module (traffic scheduling, fault diagnosis, etc.).
. NBI supports REST interface (application interface): Based on JSON and XML message body encoding formats to call cloud platform software or interconnect with other third-party APPs.
2 Dynamically load and unload components
. Functional components are provided through dynamic libraries. Dynamic component loading and unloading have no effect on overall functionality of the controller and function execution of other components.
3 Embedded network virtualization
ZENIC vDC Controller supports network virtualization at different layers.
. Support tenant virtualization based upon the cloud management platform. The virtualization model composed by single tenant with multiple routers enables the tenant’s security domains isolated from each other safely.
. Support VRF route virtualization. Each VRF adopts an independent route table and inter-VRF routes are isolated from each other. The user can isolate multiple tenants through ZENIC vDC Controller VRF.
. Support VNET-based network virtualization. The user can virtualize the networks based on port, host MAC address and port + VLAN.
. Support interface virtualization. The port can be virtualized through VLAN ID at physical interface or through VNI at VxLAN logic interface. Each virtual port can belong to different&identical VRF/VNET.
4 High reliability
ZENIC vDC Controller supports the distributed controller cluster which consists of a pair of master controllers and 1-128 service controllers. The master controller adopts the active/standby mode to provide the reliability, and southbound interfaces are distributed on service controllers.
The scale of the controller cluster could be deployed based on specific network requirements. The minimum cluster configuration mode supports the deployment of integrating master controller node and service controller node.
5 Compatible with OpenDaylight interface
ZENIC vDC Controller is compatible with OpenDayLight at NBI and local Java API layers.
. The third-party application interconnecting with Opendaylight via REST interface can interconnect with ZENIC vDC Controller.
. The application developed on ODL can be migrated to ZENIC platform.
6 A variety of embedded NM functions
ZENIC vDC Controller is embedded with multiple Web GUI NM functions to help the administrator monitor network status and locate faults, including:
. Topology visualization: The interface displays the topology and status of all network nodes and link traffic. The link load is shown in green, yellow and red.
. Node monitoring: Monitor controller node CPU, memory load and health status.
. Alarm: Key alarm events are shown at four levels.
. Failure observation: The administrator customizes observation filtering conditions to receive the designated failure events of the controller, locating faults rapidly.
. End-to-end fault diagnosis: The network management provides message construction tools. Together with OpenFlow-based flow table control and hop-by-hop message processing, the fault nodes can be diagnosed rapidly.
. Protocol tracing: The administrator customizes protocol tracing conditions to trace the OpenFlow protocol interaction process of controller and forwarding equipment, finding the faults in OpenFlow protocol interaction rapidly.
