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Development Version, March 2010
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Mininet creates simple OpenFlow test networks by using process-based
virtualization and network namespaces.
Simulated hosts (as well as switches and controllers with the user
datapath) are created as processes in separate network namespaces. This
allows a complete OpenFlow network to be simulated on top of a single
Linux kernel.
Mininet may be invoked directly from the command line, and also
provides a handy Python API for creating networks of varying sizes and
topologies.
In order to run Mininet, you must have:
* A Linux 2.6.26 or greater kernel compiled with network namespace support
enabled (see INSTALL for additional information.)
* An OpenFlow implementation (either the reference user or kernel
space implementations, or Open vSwitch.) Appropriate kernel modules
(e.g. tun and ofdatapath for the reference kernel implementation) must
be loaded.
* Root privileges (required for network device access)
Currently Mininet includes:
- A simple node infrastructure (Host, Switch, Controller classes) for
- A simple network infrastructure (Mininet class) supporting parametrized
topologies (Topo subclasses.) For example, a tree network may be created
with the command
# mn --topo tree,depth=2,fanout=3
- Basic tests, including connectivity (ping) and bandwidth (iperf)
- A command-line interface (CLI class) which provides useful
diagnostic commands, as well as the ability to send a command to a
node. For example,
mininet> h11 ifconfig -a
tells host h11 to run the command 'ifconfig -a'
- A 'cleanup' command to get rid of junk (interfaces, processes, files in
/tmp, etc.) which might be left around by mininet. Try this if things
stop working!
- Examples (in the examples/ directory) to help you get started.
Batteries are not included (yet!)
However, some preliminary installation notes are included in the INSTALL
file. Good luck!