Automatic flow creation when using Mininet

[PaulZanna]

I have noticed that when using the "pingall" command in Mininet that flow entries are automatically added to each switch to allow the packets to reach their destination. Is this the default behavior and if so which component is implementing the flows - Controller, switches, Mininet. Also is this configurable?

Thanks,

[Shaila]

 When an ARP/IP packet is received from an end host, controller inserts this bidirectional flow on all the datapaths from source to destination to establish a path so that the two end hosts can talk to each other. These flows expire in about 60 seconds.

[PaulZanna]

Is it possible to disable this ?

[Shaila]

You can stop PathDaemon  bundle from Applications tab. This will result in not installing these flows on datapaths.

[PaulZanna]

Thanks Shaila, I just noticed that in the new Network Services Modules document -

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/docs/networking/solutions/sdn/devcenter/08_-_HP_SDN_Network_Services_Modules_TSG_v1_3013-10-01.pdf

[chuck-tallac]

Thanks for the information Shaila!

I have a follow-up question (or two):

• Does the PathDaemon handle both ARP as well as the installing the bidirectional flows related to the paths between two endpoints?
• Does the PathDaemon, when it sets up paths, operate in topologies with loops? I.e. is it independent of Spanning Tree, suppressing broadcasts because of the ARP functionality on the controller, etc.?

Thanks! 

[sambati]

Please find the answers inline -

• Does the PathDaemon handle both ARP as well as installing the bidirectional flows related to the paths between two endpoints?
- Yes it does.

• Does the PathDaemon, when it sets up paths, operate in topologies with loops? I.e. is it independent of Spanning Tree, suppressing broadcasts because of the ARP functionality on the controller, etc.?
- Yes Path Daemon can operate in topologies with loops. It gets path information between two endpoints from Topology service.