Chapter 1. OpenStack Networking and SDN

Software-defined networking (SDN) is an approach to computer networking that allows network administrators to manage network services through abstraction of lower-level functionality. While server workloads have been migrated into virtual environments, they’re still just servers looking for a network connection to let them send and receive data. SDN meets this need by moving networking equipment (such as routers and switches) into the same virtualized space. If you’re already familiar with basic networking concepts, then it’s not much of a leap to consider that they’ve now been virtualized just like the servers they’re connecting.

This book intends to give administrators an understanding of basic administration and troubleshooting tasks in Part 1, and explores the advanced capabilities of OpenStack Networking in a cookbook style in Part 2. If you’re already comfortable with general networking concepts, then the content of this book should be accessible to you (someone less familiar with networking might benefit from the general networking overview in Part 1).