OpenDaylight

Overview

OpenDaylight is an open-source software-defined networking controller for centralized, programmable network control and monitoring. It is best suited to organizations that need to build network control around multiple protocols and have the skills to run the controller themselves. Its flexibility is a strong reason to consider it; the self-hosted deployment and Java 21-or-later requirement are meaningful operational commitments.

Key features

Programmable network control

YANG models and MD-SAL connect applications to network hardware through northbound REST APIs and southbound plugins. The models generate REST APIs, and RESTCONF is an installable feature for REST API access. Support includes OpenFlow, NETCONF, BGP-LS, PCEP, OVSDB, LISP and SNMP, while the supported-platform list also names gNMI, OpenROADM and SONiC. This breadth can accommodate varied network technologies, but it matters most to teams whose infrastructure and automation workflows can make use of those interfaces.

Scale and access control

Clustering, sharded data stores and leader-based consensus provide a path to horizontal scaling across nodes, which is useful for deployments that must grow beyond a single controller node. The AAA project adds authentication, authorization, accounting and role-based access control for northbound interfaces. These capabilities support larger, shared control environments, though they do not remove the work of designing and operating a self-hosted system.

Network use cases and tooling

OpenDaylight is used for optical transport, service-provider WAN automation, data-center SDN, network telemetry, enterprise network control and ONAP. Configuration management, workflow orchestration and network testing are supported capabilities, making it relevant beyond basic device control. Teams should choose it for the programmable platform and use-case range, rather than expecting a preconfigured managed service.

The project provides documentation, Zulip chat, mailing lists, a wiki and open weekly Technical Steering Committee meetings. Those channels give operators and developers several ways to seek community guidance. The technical charter places outbound code under the Eclipse Public License 1.0 and documentation under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

Pricing

OpenDaylight costs nothing. The open-source platform is downloadable as a tar or zip archive, with Docker images also offered. There is no free trial because the software is free; there is no paid tier or seat-based plan described. That makes it accessible for evaluation and deployment without a subscription, but organizations take responsibility for hosting, configuration and ongoing operations.

The downloads page labels Chromium-SR0 as the current release and also lists Vanadium-SR1 and Titanium-SR3 under supported releases. The setup instructions require Java 21 or later. Teams should account for that runtime alongside the effort involved in selecting features and maintaining their own deployment.

Platforms

OpenDaylight supports Linux, macOS and Windows, with API access and self-hosted deployment. The operating-system support makes it usable across common server environments, but self-hosting means it is not a hosted controller that can be adopted without infrastructure responsibility.

Who it's for

OpenDaylight is a strong fit for network engineering organizations building programmable control across varied hardware or protocols, particularly in data centers, service-provider WANs, optical transport and telemetry deployments. It also suits teams contributing to or integrating with ONAP. The project’s modular architecture and scaling features reward teams that need to tailor control rather than accept a fixed interface.

It is less suitable for teams seeking a managed, turnkey networking product or those without capacity to operate Java-based software. Organizations that need tightly packaged network management and are not prepared to configure a controller should look at commercial alternatives instead.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free, open-source access avoids subscription cost and allows self-hosted use.
• Pros: Broad protocol support and REST APIs enable programmable control across heterogeneous networks.
• Pros: Clustering, sharded data stores and leader-based consensus support horizontal growth.
• Pros: AAA provides role-based access control and related security functions for northbound interfaces.
• Cons: Self-hosted deployment places infrastructure and operational work on the adopting organization.
• Cons: Java 21 or later is a runtime requirement that teams must accommodate.
• Cons: Its modular, configurable approach is a poor match for teams wanting a managed, ready-made controller.

Alternatives

For an open-source alternative, Cilium is free and self-hosted on Linux, with a Linux kernel 5.10 or equivalent requirement and AMD64 or AArch64 support; choose it when those platform constraints fit your environment. Antrea is another free, self-hosted option for Linux and Windows, but it requires a Kubernetes cluster and the Open vSwitch kernel module on every Kubernetes node.

For commercial options, Cisco Catalyst Center requires a subscription for managed devices and offers 3- and 5-year terms for wireless; it is worth considering when a paid, subscription-based controller is acceptable. HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer has switch subscriptions billed per switch, including a Tier 3 single-node option, so it may suit teams evaluating that device-based licensing approach. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller offers a DCN Essentials subscription with 3-, 5- or 7-year terms and fabric inventory, provisioning, upgrades and basic alerts; consider it when those included management functions align with the deployment.

Netris, VMware NSX and Nutanix Flow Virtual Networking are other commercial alternatives.

Explore Software-Defined Networking Software and Network Automation Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose OpenDaylight if your organization needs a free, extensible controller for programmable network control and can manage its own Java-based deployment. Its protocol range and scaling architecture are compelling for complex environments; look elsewhere if you need a managed service or a turnkey product with less operational responsibility.