Mininet is an open source networking emulator that allows users to model software-defined networks on a single machine in seconds. It creates realistic OpenFlow networks running real kernel, switch, and application code. Mininet has over 27k downloads and is used for rapid prototyping, testing, and demonstrating SDN capabilities. It provides a convenient way to test SDN designs without needing physical hardware.

1. Mininet
At A Glance
1

2. ON.LAB Portfolio
3rd party
components
Network OS
Apps Apps
Network OS
Apps Apps
Open Interfaces
Open Interfaces
Network Hypervisor
Data Plane
FlowVisor
Mininet network
(emulated switches, links,
and end hosts)
ONOS
SDN IP-Peering

3. Mininet At A Glance
Mininet creates a realistic OpenFlow network, running real kernel, switch and
application code, on a single machine (VM, cloud or native), in seconds, with a single
command
Packaged with Ubuntu - Available
on Github. Packaged as a VM
27k downloads - ON.LAB within
GENI project, Start-ups, System
Engineers bloggers etc.
Available today; open source, permissive BSD license
active mailing list with over 601 members
from 184 different domains in academia,
and industry
CONVENIENT REALISTIC EMULATOR FOR SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORKS
Demonstrations Support
Usage
Development
Distribution
Used in many events
(ONS, SIGCOM, Interop, etc.) to
demonstrate SDN capabilities

4. What You Can Do
Rapidly prototype, develop and test
o Interestingly-sized networks (16-100 nodes)
start up in seconds
o No lengthy lab reconfiguration or rebooting
required
o Always-accessible network resources, in any
topology, at essentially no cost
o Designs that work on Mininet transfer
seamlessly to hardware for full speed
operation
Repeatedly
test, analyze, and
predict network
behavior
Quickly get
up and
running
Easily and
inexpensively
demonstrate
and share

5. What You Can Do
Easily and inexpensively demonstrate
and share
o Facilitate demonstration during
meetings, classes and events
o No expensive equipment to ship or install:
runs on a basic laptop or EC2
o Upload/download/share live, runnable
designs with anyone
o Learn from and build upon existing designs
Rapidly
prototype,
develop and
test
Quickly get
up and
runningRepeatably test,
analyze, and predict
network behavior

6. What You Can Do
Repeatably test, analyze, and predict
network behavior
o Easy replication of experimental and test
results
o Examine effects of code or network
changes before testing/deploying on
hardware
o Allows automated system-level tests and
experiments
o Recreate real-world network and test cases
for a variety of topologies and
configurations Quickly get
up and
running
Rapidly
prototype,
develop
and test
Easily and
inexpensively
demonstrate
and share

7. What You Can Do
Quickly get up and running
o Free and permissively licensed (BSD)
o Minimal hardware requirements
o Accessible to novices thanks to simple CLI
o Smooth learning curve thanks to walkthrough,
tutorial, examples and API documentation
o Strong users and support community
Easily and
inexpensively
demonstrate
and shareRapidly
prototype,
develop
and test
Repeatably test,
analyze, and predict
network behavior

8. What Mininet Users Told Us
Now normally presentations are really dull and
talking about OpenFlow, clients have blank looks
on their face.
But after about a 20 minute talk I fire up two virtual
machines, one running the IBM controller and the
other on Mininet and I show the clients what
OpenFlow can really do in a demo environment.
The enthusiasm is wonderful, and it is partly due to
the great interfacing possibilities of Mininet
GEORDY KORTE
IBM Certified Network Specialist

9. Mininet Evolution
University Prototype
End 2009 / Early 2010
Proof of concept, expands to the
Stanford community to test new
research ideas
V1.0 -2.0: SDN Emulation takes off
2011-2012
Platform for SDN development and
reproducible research
Performance fidelity features: link and
CPU bandwidth limits
Use in university courses and SDN
tutorials
User and API documentation
User base expands beyond universities
Future Mininet: Scalable emulation for
research, development, and teaching
2013-2014
Key component of SDK for SDN
Distributed execution on cluster/cloud
Improving and understanding accuracy
and performance
Enhanced documentation, starter
code, and system examples
Expanding community, user base and
impact in research, education, industry