Abstract: Systems and methods for scalable SDN devices having ports/network interfaces mapped to cardinal flow processing (CFP) units are provided. According to one embodiment, an incoming packet is received, at a software-defined networking (SDN) switch. An ingress port on which the incoming packet was received is determined. A cardinal direction to which the ingress port is mapped is determined. Based on the determined cardinal direction, the SDN switch identifies a cardinal flow processing (CFP) unit within the SDN switch with which the determined cardinal direction is associated. The SDN switch then causes the incoming packet to be processed by the identified CFP unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining and managing network appliance position information are provided. According to one embodiment, a network appliance controller establishes a network connection with a mobile device. The network appliance controller receives via the network connection from the mobile device identification information associated with a network appliance and position information. The network appliance controller associates the identification information with the position information as a deployment position of the network appliance within the wireless local area network (WLAN).

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing scalable SDN devices having a flexible data path pipeline having multiple flow tables and a hybrid memory approach are provided. According to one embodiment, an SDN switch performs a method of storing a flow table within a memory device most suitable for the type of rules contained within the flow table. A flow table for use in connection with determining how to process a packet received by the SDN switch is received by the SDN switch. The flow table is stored within a DRAM device of the SDN switch when rules contained within the flow table include keys against which exact matching is performed with fields of the packet. The flow table is stored within a TCAM device of the SDN switch when rules contained within the flow table include keys against which regular expression-based matching is performed with the fields of the packet.

Abstract: Systems and methods for scalable SDN devices having ports/network interfaces mapped to cardinal flow processing (CFP) units are provided. According to one embodiment, an incoming packet is received, at a software-defined networking (SDN) switch. An ingress port on which the incoming packet was received is determined. A cardinal direction to which the ingress port is mapped is determined. Based on the determined cardinal direction, the SDN switch identifies a cardinal flow processing (CFP) unit within the SDN switch with which the determined cardinal direction is associated. The SDN switch then causes the incoming packet to be processed by the identified CFP unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining and managing network appliance position information are provided. According to one embodiment, a network appliance controller establishes a network connection with a mobile device. The network appliance controller receives via the network connection from the mobile device identification information associated with a network appliance and position information. The network appliance controller associates the identification information with the position information as a deployment position of the network appliance within the wireless local area network (WLAN).