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FlowChecker: Configuration analysis and verification of federated OpenFlow infrastructures

  • Ehab Al-Shaer*
  • , Saeed Al-Haj
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

236 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is difficult to build a real network to test novel experiments. OpenFlow makes it easier for researchers to run their own experiments by providing a virtual slice and configuration on real networks. Multiple users can share the same network by assigning a different slice for each one. Users are given the responsibility to maintain and use their own slice by writing rules in a FlowTable. Misconfiguration problems can arise when a user writes conflicting rules for single FlowTable or even within a path of multiple OpenFlow switches that need multiple FlowTables to be maintained at the same time. In this work, we describe a tool, FlowChecker, to identify any intra-switch misconfiguration within a single FlowTable. We also describe the inter-switch or inter-federated inconsistencies in a path of OpenFlow switches across the same or different OpenFlow infrastructures. FlowChecker encodes FlowTables configuration using Binary Decision Diagrams and then uses the model checker technique to model the inter-connected network of OpenFlow switches.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 3rd ACM Workshop on Assurable and Usable Security Configuration, SafeConfig '10, Co-located with CCS'10
Pages37-44
Number of pages8
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes
Event3rd ACM Workshop on Assurable and Usable Security Configuration, SafeConfig '10, Co-located with CCS'10 - Chicago, IL, United States
Duration: 4 Oct 20108 Oct 2010

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security
ISSN (Print)1543-7221

Conference

Conference3rd ACM Workshop on Assurable and Usable Security Configuration, SafeConfig '10, Co-located with CCS'10
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityChicago, IL
Period4/10/108/10/10

Keywords

  • access control
  • automated analysis
  • binary decision diagrams
  • configuration verification
  • openflow

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software
  • Computer Networks and Communications

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