In November 2013, Global SDN Testing and Certification Center launched the business of OpenFlow comformance certification. Global SDN Testing and Certification Center is the second testing institution authorized by the ONF (Open Networking Foundation), an international SDN authoritative organization, across the world. The OpenFlow comformance certification has provided the large number of network device manufacturers with an opportunity to demonstrate whether their products fully meet the OpenFlow standards. The certification project offers network device manufacturers the highest level of industrial certification so as to ensure that their products meet the latest OpenFlow standards of SDN. The device manufacturers can apply for the accreditation certificate for such network devices as switchboards, routers and network software.

                                                            ONF OpenFlow Conformance Certification Logo

The ONF testing and certification certificate brings apparent benefits to both the ultimate users and the device manufacturers. The OpenFlow standard certification not only shortens the development cycle of products but also increases the confidence of users in the products, quickens product deployment and enhances the competitiveness of products in the market. Moreover, the ultimate users would be sure that the latest SDN technologies have been adopted in the certified products and that the products are completely consistent with the OpenFlow standards. 

According to strict tests, a product would be awarded the OpenFlow certification certificate if the Global SDN Testing and Certification Lab demonstrates that it meets the requirements of the ONF OpenFlow certification test standards. At present, Global SDN Testing and Certification Center has been able to apply for the OpenFlow1.0 comformance test and certification on switchboards. The OpenFlow1.0 certification test is undertaken according to the OpenFlow Switchboard Regulation 1.0.0 (Error v1.0.1). It includes 10 groups, with 207 testing cases, 69 of which are optional. The current certification test is divided into three models, namely, the Complete Mode (all the 12 fields defined in the matching rules), the L3 Mode (the following fields defined in the matching rules: input port, Ether type, source IP address and target IP address) and the L2 Mode (the following fields defined in the matching rules: input port, source MAC address, target MAC address, Ether type and VLAN id). Meanwhile, the certification of the OpenFlow1.3 protocol comformance test for switchboards is underway and is expected to be launched in early 2014.

                                         Content Distribution of the OpenFlow COmformance Certification Test

As a third-party, independent testing and certification institution, Global SDN Testing and Certification Center (www.SDNCTC.com) is committed to the research and test on and the publicity of the SDN technologies, demonstrating the effectiveness and deployment ability of SDN products and solutions through testing and certification. Meanwhile, it would report the problems about standards in the test to the SDN standard organizations so as to promote the improvement and industrial deployment of the SDN standards. In the future, Global SDN Testing and Certification Center will develop more SDN-related tests and certifications according to the market development in order to meet the market needs of operators and manufacturers and, to some extent, boost the technical standard development and the commercial deployment of SDN.