400-007 · Question #238
Which two protocols are used by SDN controllers to communicate with switches and routers? (Choose two.)
The correct answer is C. Open vSwitch Database E. OpenFlow. SDN controllers use OpenFlow and OVSDB (Open vSwitch Database) as southbound protocols to program and manage the forwarding behavior of switches and routers.
Question
Which two protocols are used by SDN controllers to communicate with switches and routers? (Choose two.)
Options
- ANetFlash
- BNetFlow
- COpen vSwitch Database
- DOpenFlash
- EOpenFlow
How the community answered
(27 responses)- A4% (1)
- C93% (25)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
SDN controllers use OpenFlow and OVSDB (Open vSwitch Database) as southbound protocols to program and manage the forwarding behavior of switches and routers.
NetFlash is not a real networking protocol and does not exist in SDN or any other standard networking context.
NetFlow is a Cisco telemetry protocol used for collecting IP traffic statistics and network visibility, not for SDN controller-to-device communication.
Open vSwitch Database (OVSDB) is a management protocol defined in RFC 7047 that SDN controllers use to configure and manage virtual switch instances, including port settings and tunnel configurations.
OpenFlash is not a real protocol and does not exist in the SDN standards ecosystem.
OpenFlow is the foundational SDN southbound protocol that allows controllers to directly manipulate the flow tables of compatible switches and routers, enabling centralized traffic forwarding decisions.
Concept tested: SDN southbound protocol identification - OpenFlow and OVSDB
Source: https://www.opennetworking.org/software-defined-standards/specifications/
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