SYS 407: Software-Defined Networks

Software-defined networking (SDN) dramatically improves control system network performance and engineering capabilities. In this course, students will learn how SDN technology accomplishes this and how to engineer networks using SDN to enhance the cybersecurity, situational awareness, and performance of operational technology (OT) networks. This hands-on course uses SDN to engineer a network supporting a motor protection system with dual sources, teaching how to design, configure, test, troubleshoot, and validate an SDN network. The student will gain experience traffic-engineering a real application-driven OT Ethernet network using the SEL-5056 Software-Defined Network Flow Controller and the SEL-2740S Software-Defined Network Switch.

Audience

This course is intended for any engineer who will be tasked with network design, configuration, deployment, or testing.

Agenda

Day 1

• Ethernet (with exercise)
• Software-Defined Networking (SDN) (with exercises)
• Traffic Engineering
• SDN Workstation Overview and Getting Started
• SDN Circuit Provisioning (with exercise)

Day 2

• Traditional Ethernet Behavior (with exercises)
• Gathering Network Requirements
• SDN Architecture
• OpenFlow Details (with exercises)
• SDN Policy

Day 3

• Features and Capabilities of SEL Technology (with exercises)
• OpenFlow Design
• Cybersecurity of SDN
• Network Managing SDN Positioning for Long-Term Success (with exercise)

Course Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to

• Engineer networks using SDN with a focus on meeting the application, service, and policy requirements of their organization.
• Understand the technology used for the control plane and data plane in traditional and SDN networking and be able to maximize the benefits that the SDN technology provides to engineer the most reliable network.
• Examine the Ethernet frame structure to determine the best traffic engineering solutions.
• Review the different delivery methods of Ethernet frames required and how to configure SDN to meet these requirements.
• Review protocols and summarize how the life cycle of a conversation is structured using Ethernet protocols.
• Demonstrate basic functions within Wireshark, such as how to capture and evaluate Ethernet frames, conversations, and troubleshooting.
• Review SDN and how its application improves network engineering.
• Identify the benefits SDN brings control systems—performance, cybersecurity, and situational awareness—and how this benefits the people and systems these networks are used in.
• Analyze what OT SDN is and how proactive traffic engineering enables new capabilities and performance for our critical systems.
• Relate how to apply SDN network engineering to your own network needs.
• Engineer and configure networks using SDN.
• Observe how SDN enables greater situational awareness after deployment and simplifies change management.

Student Background and Knowledge

Before you attend this class, we recommend that you have a general understanding of networking and Ethernet packets.