mininet/mininet
Mininet
Mininet is a network emulator that creates virtual networks of hosts, switches, and links on a single Linux machine for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) prototyping and testing. It emulates network nodes as lightweight processes in isolated network namespaces, connecting them via virtual Ethernet pairs, and supports OpenFlow protocol for programmable control of virtual switches and traffic flows.
The project enables users to design custom network topologies using a Python API, simulate link conditions such as bandwidth, delay, and packet loss, and run real Linux applications and kernel code inside virtual hosts for realistic network behavior. It provides an interactive command-line interface for dispatching commands to any virtual node, supports connecting emulated networks to physical networks through a NAT gateway, and allows for multi-controller testing and resource-constrained host emulation via Linux cgroups.
Mininet also offers capabilities for network performance simulation, topology prototyping, and virtual network troubleshooting, with the ability to clean up residual network state and export topologies for deployment on physical hardware. The project is accessible through a command-line launcher and a Python API for defining repeatable experiment configurations.
Features
- Process-Based Network Node Emulations - Emulates entire network nodes as lightweight processes in isolated namespaces, the core architecture of the emulator.
- Virtual Network Emulation - An emulator that creates virtual networks of hosts, switches, and links on a single Linux machine for rapid SDN prototyping and testing.
- CLI Command Dispatchers - Ships an interactive CLI that dispatches user commands to any virtual host or switch in the emulated network.
- Virtual Node Shells - Provide an interactive shell to send commands to any node in the emulated network for testing and debugging.
- Network Topology Launchers - Starts a network topology with a single command for rapid interactive testing and development.
- Network Namespace Virtualization - Each virtual host gets its own isolated network stack via Linux network namespaces for realistic packet processing.
- Configurable Link Condition Simulators - Models bandwidth, delay, packet loss, and queue limits on virtual network links for performance testing.
- OpenFlow Control Protocols - Switches communicate with external SDN controllers using the OpenFlow protocol over a dedicated control network.
- Network Topology Simulators - Designs and runs custom network layouts with hosts, switches, and links using a Python API for repeatable experiments.
- Custom Topology Builders - Define network structures with specified numbers of switches and hosts, including linear, tree, and torus layouts.
- Parametrized Topology Builders - Builds parametrized network layouts using a Python API for repeatable and shareable experiment configurations.
- Programmable Topology Builders - Provides a Python API to define custom network topologies programmatically for repeatable experiments.
- Python-Based Topology Designers - Defines custom network layouts with hosts, switches, and links using a Python API for repeatable experiments.
- Emulated Network NAT Gateways - Provides a NAT gateway to bridge emulated virtual networks with physical networks for external access.
- OpenFlow Virtual Switches - A network simulator that uses OpenFlow protocol to enable programmable control of virtual switches and traffic flows.
- Virtual Ethernet Link Pairs - Connects emulated nodes using virtual Ethernet pairs to simulate point-to-point links with configurable properties.
- Application Execution Environments - Execute standard Linux applications inside virtual hosts for realistic network testing with real tools.
- Software-Defined Networking - Creates and tests virtual networks with real kernel and application code on a single machine for SDN research and development.
- Experimentation Platforms - Develop and test Software-Defined Networking systems using OpenFlow and P4 protocols.
- Virtual Host CPU Limiters - Restrict CPU usage on virtual hosts to simulate performance-constrained devices.
- Traffic Generators - Produce packets using standard Linux tools to test performance and behavior.
- Interactive Network Controllers - Control the virtual network through a command-line interface and programmable API for configuration and testing.
- Network Latency Simulators - Models link conditions like bandwidth, delay, and packet loss to test application behavior under realistic constraints.
- Multi-Controller Testing Frameworks - Connects switches to multiple OpenFlow controllers simultaneously for redundancy and distributed control experiments.
- OpenFlow 1.3 Configurations - Configure switches and controllers to negotiate and operate exclusively with OpenFlow 1.3 protocol.
- Virtual Network Diagnostics - Runs diagnostic commands and inspects switch state on emulated nodes to debug connectivity and routing issues.
- Spanning Tree Protocols - Activate STP on switches to prevent loops in topologies with redundant links and ensure basic connectivity.
- Remote Host Management - Manage virtual hosts from external machines or scripts using SSH, REST, or custom messaging frameworks.
- Real Application Testbeds - A testbed that runs real Linux applications and kernel code inside virtual hosts for realistic network behavior emulation.
- Open vSwitch SSL Configurations - Secure Open vSwitch control traffic by enabling SSL encryption between switches and controllers.
- Emulation State Cleaners - Cleans up leftover interfaces, processes, and files from previous emulations to restore a clean system state.
- Network Virtualization - Network emulator and API.
