Getting started with openflow

[HP2920-key]

Hello everyone, i need your help,

As part of my internship, I just discovered the notion of OpenFlow and SDN. I understand some concepts about how OpenFlow works. And I want to know if the ideas I aqcuired are correct.

-SDN is a network, where we can use programmable devices, so we can deploy a dynamic network architecture.
-OpenFlow is a protocol that allows communication between an OpenFlow switch and an SDN controller.
-In SDN networks, all of the switches control plan will be housed in an external controller.
-In an SDN using OpenFlow, the switch keeps only the packet forwarding function on ports and following the actions defined by the controller.
- The controller set the packet switching policy, and connects the switch to execute the actions corresponding to the packet.

To test this, I have two HP-2920 switches that support OpenFlow 1.3. But i I have no HP SDN controller.
My questions:
-Can i operate a computer in such a way that it can play the role of an HP SDN controller? (the POX?)

-Did i have to  define OpenFlow VLAN (which will communicate traffic between OpenFlow switches and endpoint) and a non-openflow vlan used to communicate with the SDN controller ?
-Can you help me understand how can i test a controller  that set the Flow tables of a switch?

I know that i need to configure the switch somehow like this:

openflow
   controller-id 1 ip 192.168.56.7 controller-interface vlan 1
   egress-only-ports
   instance "test01"
      listen-port
      member vlan 10
      controller-id 1
      version 1.3
      enable
      exit
   enable
   exit

but i don't really understand how it gonna work with a SD HP controller.

Best Regards.

[ShaunWackerly]

You should be able to download a trial version of the HPE VAN SDN controller from the HPE SDN app store:

• OVA (virtual machine): https://saas.hpe.com/marketplace/sdn/hpe-van-sdn-controller-ova-free-trial
• Debian (physical/virtual machine): https://saas.hpe.com/marketplace/sdn/sdn-controller-free-trial

Once the VAN SDN controller is deployed, you just need to connect it to vlan 1 (shown in your switch config) and it will be able to control the 2920 switches. According to your configuration, you've set up vlan 1 to be the control-plane (OpenFlow communication), and vlan 10 to be the data-plane (where OpenFlow rules are enforced).

I'm not sure you'd need the "egress-only-ports" configuration.