CHAPTER ONE

This chapter contains brief description of overall topics. It covers project

background, problem statement, objective, scope, and research significance. The
project background describes the initial subjects and material that are related to this
project. The problem statement identifies the problem of this project seek to solve
and the objective list out the goal of this project. The scope describes the aspect and
area covered by this project. Lastly, research significance describes why this project
important and differentiate it from other project.

1.1

Background of Study

Nowadays rapid grow of wireless devices that needed of wireless network

infrastructure to support the wireless devices to get connection. Wireless network is
the network that allows the computer or wireless devices to connect to the network
without using any cable. Besides that, the technique that use by wireless network to
communicate with wireless devices is by using radio wave technique. One of the
famous types of the wireless network infrastructure is Wireless Local Area Network
(WLAN) (Zhang, Kai, & Song, 2014).

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is using wireless distribution technique that
links two or more devices in wireless network and connect to the wider internet
through access points (Shourbaji, 2013). Moreover, if users want to move from one
place to another place around the network coverage area, it can move freely without
additional cables. The new technology for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is
Software Define Network (SDN).

Software Define Network (SDN) is the one offering for the imminent internet
technology. Network administrators can handle network services through abstraction
of lower level functionality by using SDN. However, the traditional technique of the
internet are bound together the data plane and control plane in the internet equipment
(Huang, Chou, Hu, & Liu, 2014). SDN technique is a separation of the relationship
between data plane and control plane from the internet equipment (Khondoker,
Zaalouk, Marx, & Bayarou, 2014). Next paragraph will explain about data plane.

Data plane is the one important part in the network. Data plane is responsible for
carries user traffic and enables data transfer to and from clients in the network
(Huang et al., 2014). Besides that, data plane is staying in the internet equipment.
SDN requires some way for control plane to communicate with the data plane. The
one method that can use to communicate between control plane and data plane is
OpenFlow.

OpenFlow is the one of the SDN standards. Furthermore, it is the protocol that
enables control plane and data plane communicate with each other in the SDN
network. OpenFlow that consist flow table, which perform packets lookup and
packets forwarding (Heller, 2009). However, the rule and protocol will be control by
control plane.

Control plane is staying in the controller. Control plane will decide all decision and it
is standalone (Huang et al., 2014). Besides that, all rules will configure in the
controller and the packet will control by control plane and users freely to implement
desired application in the SDN network. Nonetheless, controller needs other
application to manage control plane. So that it will use FloodLight to manage control
plane in the controller.

FloodLight is the controller application in the SDN network. It provide interface for
the controller to determine network protocol that guide the network management.
Besides that, FloodLight can make communication between data plane and control
plane by using OpenFlow protocol (Huang et al., 2014).

1.2

Problem Statement

In ideal situation, the user can easily to manage their network and easily to configure
the network protocol for their own network. The technology of SDN is decoupling
the control plane and data plane. User can focus for configuration the rule or protocol
of their network on the SDN controller. Besides that, at the data plane it just focus on
the passing of the packet to the destination. So this kind of situation will help
hardware to reduce their work and it will make user easier to manage their network.

However, the current situation in the current Internet scale is large and many
protocols are applied, so such Internet equipment get more and more overheads for
packing and unpacking different protocol package and users cannot freely to
implement or develop desired applications on the traditional internet equipment
(Huang et al., 2014). Besides that, they also need to implement these policies in
command line interface (CLI) in visual prompt which are not interactive and harder
to handle. Thus, it will become more difficult to network operators who in charge for
configuring network to implement high level policies required them to specify it into
distributed low level configuration.

Therefore, this project proposed the implementation of SDN in WLAN to reduce the
complexity of network configuration and management. Furthermore, SDN also try to
reduce the task of the hardware.

1.3

Research Objective

The aim of this objective is to implement Software Define Network into Wireless
Local Area Network infrastructure. The objectives of this project are:
1. To investigate how Software Define Network work.
2. To install the Software Define Network into Wireless Local Area
Network infrastructure.
3. To test the network and analyze the throughput and latency.

1.4

Scope of research

This project is to implementing the software define network in the network to see
how it work and how the software define network infrastructure. It is because the
traditional internet equipment addressed issues caused by too much different protocol
in the packet that can cause overheads. This project only to see how SDN network
work and how the SDN network infrastructure. This project will not compare the
performance between traditional network infrastructure and software define network
infrastructure.

Besides that, the proposed this project is implementing in the limited wireless local
area network. This will involve one CPU as a controller that with linux operating
system. The software that will be running as a controller is the Floodight controller.
It also will use one access point switch that can provide wireless connection to the
wireless devices.

1.5

Significance of Research

The project significant is its reduce the work of hardware that in traditional network
infrastructure, the hardware will do two job which is send the packet and control the
packet by using certain protocol that has been set. When this project has been
implementing it will divide the job of hardware. The access point will send the
4

packet and all protocol will be set in the controller that will control the packet. So it
will reduce the overhead of the internet equipment.

1.6

Chapters Outline

Chapter one gives the details for this research Implementation of SDN in the WLAN
by using FloodLight controller. This chapter also provides the explanation about the
overview of overall topics including project background, problem statement,
objective of this project, scope, and project significant. The literature review covers
on details about the project, which also includes related work, will be further
explained in chapter two. Besides that, chapter three will cover project methodology,
which is the method for developing this project.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter is an investigation of an area that related to this project. Besides that,
this chapter provides the definition, and explanation of related study and information
about this project. The purpose of this chapter is to define a project scope and
working knowledge that related with this project.

In the earlier chapter, the research problem has been clearly stated. However, a
framework is being constructed in order to solve the problem. The framework used to
explain the flows and related study for this project. Figure 2.1 below shows a
semantic diagram for this chapter.

Figure 1.1: Semantic Diagram

On the section 2.1 will discuss about Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), WLAN
architecture and advantages of WLAN. Besides that, on section 2.2 explains about
Software Define Network (SDN) and SDN architecture. Furthermore, on the section
2.3 discusses about SDN controller and the software for the controller which is
7

FloodLight controller and FloodLight architecture. Section 2.4 defines about

OpenFlow protocol that used for network devices to communicate with controller.
Further down section 2.5 will defines about network performance tools that can be
use in the SDN network. While section 2.6 discusses about type of network
performance test that can be analyze in this project. Lastly in section 2.7, this study
identifies related work from other researcher which become references or used for
this project.

2.1

Wireless Local Area Network

2.1.1 Introduction Wireless Local Area Network

Wireless Local Area network (WLAN) is the evolution from Wired Local Area
Network (Shourbaji, 2013). This is because of increasing the demand for mobility
that do not want wired connection such as laptop and smart phone that need
connection to the internet. The WLAN not using any kind of cable for computer
networks connect to the networks. Besides that, multiple users can share resources
simultaneously in home or business without additional or intrusive wiring by using
wireless technology (Frank, 2009).

Besides that, multiple users use radio signal to make communication in short distance
by using WLAN technology (Bradley, n.d.). WLAN technology use an Access Point
that users will connect to it and users can get access to the wider internet. This
technology gives users the capability to move one place to another place within a
local coverage area and still get connection to the network (Huang, 2010).

2.1.2 Wireless Local Area Network Architecture

In the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), it has two type of WLAN architecture.
First is standalone architecture or also known as Ad hoc mode. Figure 2.2 show the
Ad-hoc architecture.

Figure 2.2: Ad-hoc architecture.

Ad hoc mode allows all devices to communicate with each other in peer to peer
communication mode in the wireless network (Wong, 2010). In the Ad hoc
infrastructure it does not use Access Point (AP) to communicate among the devices.
However, to make connection active in the ad hoc mode, all adaptors must use same
channel name and same Service Set Identifier (SSID). Besides that, ad hoc mode is
good for small working area and all the devices must physically exist in closeness
with each other.

Second is centrally coordinated architecture or known as infrastructure mode. Figure

2.3 below show the WLAN infrastructure mode.

Figure 3.3: Infrastructure mode architecture.

In the infrastructure mode, Access Point (AP) provides the connection between
wireless radio frequency world and hard-wired LAN world (Frank, 2009). Besides
that, to communicate with each other, all mobile and wireless devices must connect
to the Access Point (AP). The function of the Access Point (AP) is to convert the
10

802.11 packets to 802.3 Ethernet LAN packets. All data packets that traveling from
the LAN to the wireless devices are converted into radio signal and transmitted out
into the environment by the Access Point (AP). All wireless clients and devices
around the coverage area can receive the packets. However, only clients or devices
that have the appropriate destination address can receive and process the packets.

2.1.3 Advantages Wireless Local Area Network

The most accessible advantages of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are
mobility. In the coverage area, users can move around and share network resource by
using WLAN (Huang, 2010). Furthermore, WLAN is flexible and allows network
connection in the different devices such as laptop and smart phone (Bartolic, 2014).
Besides that, the advantage of WLAN is easier to add or move workstations in the
network. WLAN also provide connection to the area that is difficult to put the cable
and the installation is faster and easy it is because WLAN can eliminate the needed
to pull the cable through wall or ceiling (Sidiq, 2013).

2.2

Software Define Network

2.2.1 Introduction to Software Define Network

Software Define Network (SDN) is a new network technology that proposed to

reduce the complexity of the network configuration and management and also to
provide the flexibility for the future network. The SDN technique allows the network
operator to manage the network by using controller. Besides that, the traditional
network technology is in the switches or routers have their own control plane and
data plane in it. However, the main concept of SDN is separate the control plane and
data plane of the network equipment (Zhang et al., 2014).
11

By using SDN the control plane are move from network equipment to the controller.
The control plane is standalone and the entire rule set by it. On the other hand, in the
SDN architecture, users can freely configure their own desired application and
network configuration can doing by the software programming. However, the data
plane is remaining in the network equipment. The function of data plane is to
forward the packets base on the rule that has been set in the control plane (Huang et
al., 2014).

2.2.2 Software Define Network Architecture

Software Define Network (SDN) architecture is defined on how networking and

computing system can be constructed by using a combination of open source,
software based technologies and networking hardware devices that can separate the
data plane and control plane from the traditional network. Figure 2.4 show the SDN
architecture diagram.

12

Figure 4.4: SDN architecture.

SDN architecture decouples control plane and data plane. Control plane in the
control layer and the data plane in the infrastructure layer (Borcoci, 2013). Control
layer and infrastructure layer communicate by using OpenFlow protocol (Posey,
2013). Besides that, control layer and application layer communicate by using
Application Program Interface (API).

2.3

Software Define Network Controller

2.3.1 Introduction to Software Define Network Controller

Software Define Network (SDN) controller is the brain of the SDN infrastructure. It
is an application program in the SDN that manage the control plane for the more
intelligent networking. On the other hand, SDN controller uses the OpenFlow
protocol to communicate with the switches to tell where to send the packets. The
core of the SDN network is the controller. It is because the different between SDN
network and traditional network is the controller. In the SDN all communication
between devices and application must go over the controller. To configure network
devices and choose the best network path for application or data traffic, controller
uses the OpenFlow protocol (Rouse, n.d). Besides that, controller have many
application program such as NOX, POX, Beacon, FloodLight, OpenDayLight, and
Ryu that make communication between control plane and data plane on the
OpenFlow protocol (Huang et al., 2014).

13

2.3.2 FloodLIght Controller

FloodLight is the one open source application program from the Big Switch
Networks. Furthermore, FloodLight is an Apache licensed and it is Java-based
OpenFlow controller. The function of the FloodLight is like the other controllers.
When the FloodLight application is running in the controller, the northbound and
southbound operation will become active and the group of configured module
application will active too (Cohen, 2012).

After the FloodLight controller is running, at the southbound operation will start
listening to the OpenFlow-specified TCP-port for connections from the OpenFlow
routers or switches. While, at the northbound, the REST APIs will exposed the all
running modules becomes available via the specified REST port. Any application can
retrieve information and invoke the service with the FloodLight controller by sending
http REST commands. With the an extensible Java development environment and
enterprise-grade core engine, now the FloodLight controller can support OpenFlow
1.0 Versions of 1.3 and 1.4 are in the pipeline (Rao, 2015).

2.3.3 FloodLIght Controller Architecture

The FloodLight architecture is described by the term modular architecture. Figure 2.5
below show the FloodLight controller architecture.

14

Figure 5.5: FloodLight controller architecture.

The FloodLight controller sends packets between two devices by using forwarding
application. Besides that, firewall is control to allow or deny the packets base on the
policies. Any incoming packet will be flooded by the hub to the active port.

2.4

OpenFlow protocol

2.4.1 Introduction OpenFlow protocol

OpenFlow is the standard communication protocols that give the controller and
switches communicate between them. Besides that, OpenFlow provide a flow level
statistics collection mechanism from data plane and provide flow control that can
allow certain protocol running in the network devices (Chowdhury, Ahmed, &
Boutaba, 2014). Figure 2.6 below show the OpenFlow diagram in the switches.

15

Figure 6.6: OpenFlow Diagram.

In the OpenFlow have Secure Channel and Flow Table. Secure Channel is
connecting the controller and switch that allow commands and packets to be send
between controller and the switch by using the OpenFlow protocol (Mckeown et al.,
2008). Flow Table associated with the flow entry that will tell the switch how to
process the flow. In the flow entry consist of match fields, counters and instructions.
Match fields is to match against packet and counter is to update for matching
packets. The instruction is to modify the action set (Heller, 2009).

2.5

Network performance tools

2.5.1 Oflops

The one of the OpenFlow testing platform is Oflops. Furthermore, Oflops is the open
source testing tool. Oflops is the testing tool that focuses on the performance aspect
of the implementation. Oflops can use to see the throughput and latency of the
network. Besides that, Oflops will run in the devices to test the network performance
(Sherwood, 2011).

16

2.5.2 Ping

Packet Internet Groper or known as Ping is the command that use to test if the
machine is working or not. When ping command is send and gets reply, meaning that
the IP address is accessible. Besides that, ping command also use to measure the time
taken to receive the echo reply. The result from the ping command has three possible
outcomes. For example, successful, failed and improper network setting (Zuelchner,
2008).

2.6

Network performance tests

2.6.1 Throughput

Throughput is the rate of the data that can be sending per second to the chosen
destination (Gamal, Mammen, Prabhakar, & Shah, 2004). Besides that, throughput
can be determined as available bandwidth. The better performance of the network is
base on the higher network throughput.

2.6.2 Latency

Latency is the delay of time taken between event A and event B. In the network,
latency is the delaying time of the sending and receiving packets. Host latency is the
time to process messages at the sending and receiving host and network latency is the
delays that occur inside the network. However, different protocol and application
implementation differ in how to encapsulate the data inside the packets (Kay, 2009).

2.7

Related Work
17

2.7.1 Feature-based Comparison and Selection of Software Define

Network (SDN) Controller

There are many open source software defined network controller exist that can be use
for SDN controller. For example of the controller are FloodLight, OpenDayLight,
POX, Trema and Ryu. For the reason, this research analyzes several existing open
source controller to collect their available features and to help other researchers to
get the right controller for fulfill their need (R Khondoker, Zaalouk, Marx, &
Bayarou, 2014). Table 2.1 below show the comparisons between controllers.
Table 2.1: Comparison between controllers

Besides that, this research chooses the controller base on Multi-Criteria Decisions
Making (MCDM). However, from the MCDM the method which called Analytic
Hierarchy Process (AHP) is chooses. It is used to select which controller are the most
suitable to used. AHP is a process that assists decision making from human and
determines priorities with different alternatives. The controller will be determined
with two reasons. First it will use pairwise prioritization. Second it will use
18

integrated consistency checking mechanism. To select best controller it required AHP

to use monotonic interpolation/extrapolation mechanism.

2.7.2 Automatical End to End Topology Discovery and Flow Viewer

on SDN

This research is about to implement extension to help two controller to exchange

messages in the network. Because in the large scale of the network have more than
one controller. Besides that, every controller has their own flow control decision.
Figure 2.7 below show the OpenFlow with FloodLight and NOX.

Figure 7.7: OpenFlow with FloodLight and NOX controller Diagram.

FloodLight controller cannot directly changes message between NOX controllers.

FloodLight controller must implement FloodLight extension that can support
communication between FloodLight controller and NOX controller.

19

2.7.3 Software Defined Networking: The New Norm for Network

This research about to find the new network architecture that can handle new
requirement from the enterprise. It is because the traditional network cannot fulfill all
requirements from the enterprise. Besides that, the rapid grow of the network that
need the suitable network architecture that can users easily to mange and configure
the network. Figure 2.8 below show the SDN network architecture.

Figure 8.8: SDN network architecture.

SDN network architecture decouples the control plane and data plane. The data plane
is remaining in the network devices. The control plane is move to controller. Besides
that, controller must use OpenFlow to help data plane and control plane
communicate with each other.
20

2.8

Summary

This chapter has discussed about software defined networking (SDN), software
define networking controller, open source FloodLIght controller that has been
implement in this research, OpenFlow protocol for enabling researcher add
additional features on network devices and help the Access Point to communicate
with controller. Review the related work that has been done by another people.
Besides that, this chapter also allows reader overview all components that are related
to this research.

CHAPTER THREE
METHADOLOGY

This chapter is more focused on methodology that will be used to achieve objective
of this research. Also, on this chapter will tell more on details of project flow, phases
the information gathered and the steps that involved during project development
phase. There are six phases in this research methodology including planning,
information gathering, design and development, experiment and testing, data analysis
and documentation phase.

Section 3.1 will explains on planning phase and figure 3.1 shows the flow diagram
on the planning phase. Section 3.2 discussed on information gathering phase and the
flow on the information gathering is shown in figure 3.2. Section 3.3 discussed on
design and development phase and figure 3.3 will explain more the flow about it.
Section 3.4 discussed on experiment and testing phase and the flow of the phase
shown at figure 3.4. On the section 3.5, discussed about data analysis phase and
figure 3.5 shows the details on how it works. Section 3.6 shows documentation phase
21

and figure 3.6 will shows the flow diagram of the phase. Lastly, section 3.7 is about
summary of this chapter.

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/
SOFTWARE

22

DELIVERABLE

Planning

Feasibility Study

1. Online
database
2. Webcontent
3. Discussion
with
supervisor
4. Video on
SDN
network
5. Article,
journals
and
conference
paper

1. Identify
project area
2. Define
related
problem
statement
3. Define
research
objective,
scope and
significanc
e of
research

Project
Proposal

Define Project

Figure 3.1: Planning Phase

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/
SOFTWARE
23

DELIVERABLE

Information

Study on article

Review related

Literature

Gathering

and gather all

articles,

Review

information

journals and

related to research

web-content

problem
Identified project
requirements:
1. Software
2. Hardware

Study on related

FloodLight

SDN

information about

controller,

Network,

Software Defined

OpenFlow

Network

Network

protocol

Performance

SDN

(SDN),

test Results

controller,

protocol

and

WLAN

Ubuntu Linux,

Discover on how
to setup SDN

Oflops,

network and test

utilities

Ping

network

Figure 3.2: Information Gathering Phase

24

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/

DELIVERABLE

SOFTWARE

and

Design a logical

Development

diagram for SDN

Design

network

Replace

default

Implement

firmware

inside

OpenFlow

wireless router

protocol

into

wireless device
Configure
SDN
through

the
network
SDN

controller

Install Ubuntu

SDN

Linux

Network

and

Configure

Performance

FloodLight

Results

controller

Execute oflops

Perform network

on client that

performance test

connected

to

FloodLight
controller.

Figure 3.3: Design and Development Phase

25

network,

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/

DELIVERABLE

SOFTWARE

Experiment

Ensure all flow

Test

and testing

that connected to

performance of

client is working

SDN controller
(latency and
throughput)

Experiment

Test SDN

Test FloodLight
controller
performance by
multiple

client.

network by
using ping from

on

on network

Latency

performance
and testing

network used to
communicate
with each other

Collect and Record

results and present in
table.

Figure 3.4: Experiment and Testing Phase

26

Throughput
2. Network

network

Test whether all

1. Network

each of clients

Examine

2. SDN network:

clients

and testing
data:

1. FloodLight
controller:

add

Experiment

3. Time taken
from
reachable
packets form
host to its
destination

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/

DELIVERABLE

SOFTWARE

Analysis

Analyse experiment

Create table

Data Analysis

and testing result

for network

and

performance

recommendation

test data
Validate

if

the

project able to fulfil

objective

and

resolve the problem

regarding

to

management of the
network

Figure 3.5: Analysis Phase

PHASES

ACTIVITIES

TECHNIQUE/
27

DELIVERABLE

SOFTWARE
Documentation

Document all
related data and task

Microsoft

1. Project

Office word

report on

2007

of activities

implementation
of SDN in

Screen shot all task

and work done for
this project

WLAN
network by
using
FloodLight
controller

Explain and define

project

area,

problem statement,
project

objective,

project scope and

significance of the
project

Combine

and

documentation

for

each phase

Conclusion

Figure 3.6: Documentation Phase

28

2. Potential
journal/
Conference
paper

3.1

Planning Phase

In this project, the first phase is planning phase. In this phase, all related information
that related to this project need to be collected in order to determine whether this project
is feasible or not. Project area, problem statement, research objective, research scope
and research significance are determined to ensure that this project is focused on project
title Implementation of SDN in WLAN by using FloodLight controller. In order to
accomplish project objective, research on related articles and journals was done to find
out their findings and methods.

Information that will be used on this project such as Wireless Local Area Network
(WLAN), Software Defined Network (SDN), FloodLight controller and OpenFlow
protocol was retrieve from UITM library online database and related work from other
research through World Wide Web (WWW). As the result or outcome from this phase is
project proposal. Figure 3.1 shows the flows occur on this phase. Then, the next phase is
on Section 3.2 is information gathering phase.
.

3.2 Information Gathering Phase

This is the second phase on research methodology. Information gathering phase is

summarized in figure 3.2. At this phase, all related information about this project is
gathered together and study about matching problem is conducted. Besides that, this
phase identified the requirements for this project which include software and hardware
aspect. This is the important phase as all information will be needed to support this
project.

29

3.2.1 Hardware Requirement

These are hardware requirement that will be used to setup a centralized SDN network.
Table 3.1 below describes the hardware requirement that needed on this project research.

Table 3.1:Hardware Specification

No
1.

Hardware
SDN controller

Quantity
1

Description
Personal PC to run FloodLight
controller.
Specification:

2.

OpenFlow-

AMD A8-5600K 3.6 GHz

Processor
ASUS F2A55-M LK PLUS
motherboard
8 GB DDR3 RAM
1GB DDR5 Graphic Card

Wireless Router as communication

enabled wireless

protocol between clients and SDN

router

controller.
Specification:

30

TL-WR1043ND TP-LINK
2.4-2.4835GHz Frequency
Interfaces
4 10/100/1000Mbps LAN
Ports
1 10/100/1000Mbps WAN
Port
1 USB 2.0 Port

Signal Rate
11n: Up to 450Mbps(dynamic)
11g: Up to 54Mbps(dynamic)
11b: Up to 11Mbps(dynamic)

3.

Laptop

Personal Computer (Laptop) to run

Cbench and Ping software.
Specification:
HP Pavillion G4 Series

Intel core i5 2465 Processor

2.67GHz
ATI HD 5470 512MB
graphic
4 GB DDR3 RAM
500GB Hard Disk
Wireless Interface Card
Fast Ethernet Interface Card

ASUS A550C

Intel core i3 3217U Processor

1.80GHz
GT 720m 2GB DDR3 Graphic
Card
4GB DDR3 RAM
500GB Hard Disk
Wireless Interface Card
Fast Ethernet Interface Card

3.2.2 Software Requirement

There is several software required in this project to develop centralized SDN network.
Table 3.2 shows the software required for this project.

31

Table 3.2: Software Requirement

No
1.
2.

Software
FloodLight
controller

Version
1.0

3.

Ubuntu Linux 14.04.2 LTS

Operating
System
Oflops
n/a

4.

Ping

n/a

Description
FloodLight

use

as

SDN

controller.
Ubuntu used to run and setup
FloodLight controller.
This software is to test network
performance on latency and
throughput mode.
This network utility tools used
to test SDN network if it works

5.

Mozilla Firefox

37.0.2 build1

or not
To open

6.

OpenWrt

BarrierBreak

FloodLight controller.
Framework that used to build an

er 14.07

image

1.3

customization on wireless AP.

OpenFlowpackage that used to

7.

OpenFlow

the

that

interface

allow

for

full

add into OpenWrtimage.

3.3 Design and Development Phase

All data and information that retrieve from information gathering phase will be used for
development on this phase. This project starts with design a logical SDN network
diagram. OpenWrt is use to create an image for wireless Access Point. The function of
this an image is to update original wireless Access Point firmware. This framework
allows developer or user to fully customize and make any changes on devices that may
suitable for any application such as OpenFlow. Besides that, OpenFlow1.3 package will
be required to complete the built of image for OpenWrt. Now, the OpenFlow can
implement into wireless AP. On the other hand, computer that will be running
32

FloodLight controller use Linux Operating System which is Ubuntu version 14.04.2
LTS. Then, all configuration and management of the flows in SDN network will be
control by interface provided by FloodLight controller. This interface can be displayed
on Mozilla Firefox only by using IP address given during setup for ODL controller.
Finally, clients will be connected with OpenFlow-enabled wireless AP to test network
performance. Figure 3.7 below show the logical network diagram for SDN network.

Figure 3.7: Logical Network Diagram for SDN Network

Table 3.3 will displayed information about IP address and subnet mask that will be used
for this project.

33

Table 3.3: IP addressing scheme for physical machine

Physical Machine
FloodLight
Controller
Client 1
Client 2

Network Interface
Eth0

IP address
192.168.1.10/24

Subnet Mask
255.255.255.0

Wlan0
Wlan1

192.168.0.20/24
192.168.0.30/24

255.255.255.0
255.255.255.0

3.4 Experiment and testing Phase

3.4.1 Experiment 1: FloodLight controller performance

The first experiment is to test FloodLight controller performance by using Oflops

software. All clients that connected to WLAN will be installed with Oflops software.
Then, Oflops is running on latency and throughput mode to get the controller
performance results. This experiment will be repeated three times to ensure the results is
better and correct.

3.4.1 Experiment 2: SDN network performance

The second experiment is to test SDN network performance. This experiment is to

ensure that all clients able to extended ping test with each other. If there any error occurs
during this experiment, then it means that there is something wrong or error in
configuration the flow in SDN controller. Also, this experiment is to check whether the
client on the network able to receive and reply certain amount of data. This experiment
will be repeated three times to ensure the results is better and correct.
.

34

3.5 Analysis Phase

In this phase, data and result will be analyzing from the experiment and testing phase.
The results from experiment one and two will be recorded on result table that to provide
a clear analysis of this project. From the result, it will determine whether this project is
able to achieve the project objectives and able to solve the problems adequately or
unable to do it.

Analysis is the crucial part in project development, thus by find out solutions for
problems statement and make a recommendation for this project can help to enhance the
current system in the future. The last phase in the methodology of the project is the
documentation phase.

3.6 Documentation Phase

The final phase of the research methodology is documentation phase where all data and
information that are gathered will be documented together in proper manner. It is crucial
phase on research methodology to make user understand on how the SDN network
works. Also, this phase will explained all project activities and project finding that
obtained throughout the project.

3.7 Summary

This chapter is the most important part that will be used to achieve the objective and
complete this project. Methodology is the most critical and important part in every
project development. Besides that, this chapter is the guideline on how the project goes
35

on to fulfill projects objective. It also helps to manage task and activities to make it
synchronize with the plan. On the other hand, the successful of this project depends on
how the process each phase runs during system development.

36