Openflow: ethernet frame based (packet based) load balancing?

[MichaelM55]

Hi,

I just started with openflow. So I can change every flow like I want to? Really?

If you read loadsharing with LACP - when 4x 1Gbit/s ≄ 4Gbit/s you know what I like to achieve. But let´s thow in some pictures, to make it clear.

1. Let´s look at some old fashioned Cisco High Availability Campus Network Design with OSPF:

• Some cores locations: A,B,C,D,E,F with some single sites a,b,c,d,e,f connected to them
• between the cores, there are several fiber links LACPed together
• everything is running OSPF

2. Let´s zoom into core location E:

 

3. And now change location E

•  remove that LACP
•  throw in openflow based switching and load balance each ethernet frame round robin like between all those interfaces

So, is this even possible?

• Talking about HP + Openflow support, it´s great that A12900 and A11900 will get Openflow 1.3 support, but as you can imagine that on this setup, "smaller" == "cheaper" switches are preferred. Talking about the needed controller, of course a load balancing template is also needed.

• Talking about replacing those LACPed (WAN) fibers: The price for replacing them with 
• 10Gbe+ capable cabling would be simple to high.