 interfaces. Virtualization: Virtualization techniques refer to create a virtual version of any hardware, platform, storage, and networking devices. Downloaded 4/15/2022 9:44:49 AM Nova Southeastern University IP Address: 137.52.76.29 Chapter 3 Introduction to OpenFlow Mohit Kumar Jaiswal University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India ABSTRACT The SDN controller is interfaced with the hardware of the network (i.e., with switches and routers) using OpenFlow. Basically, OpenFlow is an open interface used for configuring the forwarding tables of network switch according to the desired path derived by the SDN controller. OpenFlow enables more innovation in controller platforms and applications, and describes a solution for each frame or packet flow. OpenFlow is based on an ethernet switch with an internal flow-table and a standardized interface to add and remove flow entries of forwarding table of the system. The control mechanism from each one of the switch and router up to SDN controller are encrypted with the transport layer security (TLS) and secure socket layer(SSL) OpenFlowprotocolsto provide the additional security inside the network. HISTORY The SDN approach towards networking comes into demand after six year research collaboration between Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. The OpenFlow interface is a key component of SDN approach and was introduced in 2008 to offer an alternative to proprietary solutions which restrict flexibility and inspire vendor lock-in. The initiative was intended to pace innovation through simple software which is open source, controlled and managed locally. (Erickson, 2011) The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) is a profitless trade organization established on March 21, 2011, the organization is supported by six companies i.e., Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Verizon, and Yahoo! intended towards encouraging networking through software defined networking (SDN) and DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-3640-6.ch003 Copyright © 2018, IGI Global. Copying 