Software-Defined Networks: A Systems Approach

**This is an open source version**

Software-Defined Networks (SDN) are transforming the Internet by replacing bundled, proprietary hardware and control software with commodity hardware and best practices in building scalable cloud services. SDN is being embraced by cloud providers, telcos, and enterprises, as it enables a new era innovation in networking. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to SDN from the perspective of those who are developing and leveraging the technology.
Features:

 + Describes a complete SDN stack, illustrated with example open source software.
 + Emphasizes underlying concepts, abstractions, and design rationale.
 + Explains how best practices in scalable cloud design are applied to the network.
 + Describes both fixed-function and programmable switching chips.
 + Describes the P4-based toolchain for programming and controlling switches.
 + Describes a range of SDN use cases: enterprises, datacenters, access networks.
 + Includes hands-on programming exercises, downloadable from GitHub.