OpenFlow switch

An OpenFlow switch is a software program or hardware device that forwards packets in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment. OpenFlow switches are either based on the OpenFlow protocol or compatible with it.

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In a conventional switch, packet forwarding (the data plane) and high-level routing (the control plane) occur on the same device. In software-defined networking, the data plane is decoupled from the control plane. The data plane is still implemented in the switch itself but the control plane is implemented in software and a separate SDN controller makes high-level routing decisions. The switch and controller communicate by means of the OpenFlow protocol.