Abstract: Auditing networking devices is provided. A first traceroute is initiated from a first computing device to a second computing device. The first traceroute identifies at least one networking device along a data path from the first computing device to the second computing device. The first computing device is caused to send a first resource discovery packet to the second computing device. The first resource discovery packet includes a value matching a reserved multicast MAC address. Information describing one or more networking devices is compiled. The information is based, at least in part, on replies generated by one or more networking devices that received a resource discovery packet. One or more networking devices described by the information from the data path is excluded responsive to receiving a request.

Abstract: As disclosed herein a method includes a software defined networking controller identifying an element managed by the controller on which to perform a software version maintenance operation, de-activating the identified element in a software defined network (SDN), ensuring that there is an active backup for the element in the SDN while the identified element is de-activated, initiating the software version maintenance operation on the de-activated identified element, and in response to completion of the software version maintenance operation, re-activating the de-activated identified element in the SDN. A computer system, and a computer program product corresponding to the method are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method and associated systems for using a software-defined network (SDN) controller to automatically test cloud performance. A bandwidth measuring and optimizing system associated with the SDN controller detects a triggering condition and, in response, directs a network-management tool to measure a bandwidth of a segment of a physical infrastructure of a network and directs the SDN controller to provision a virtual machine that then measures a bandwidth of a corresponding segment of virtual infrastructure that is overlaid upon the physical segment. In some embodiments, these two tests are synchronized so as to concurrently measure physical and virtual bandwidths while the same test data passes through the virtual infrastructure segment. The measured bandwidth of the virtual segment is then compared to the measured bandwidth of the physical segment in order to determine an efficiency of the virtual network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer program products, and systems for generating a shortest data path for data packets. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to exclude switches at or near their maximum capacity of flow entries from the shortest data path calculation. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to reduce the “lag time” users can experience while waiting for data packets to be forwarded through different switches.

Abstract: A first information comprising an identification of an encryption algorithm supported by a first component from the first component of a software defined network (SDN) is received at a controller of the SDN. A set of policies and a set of encryption algorithms are sent to the first component. A policy determines a cryptographic operation applicable to a path in the SDN between the first component and a second component of the SDN. The first component comprises an originating point of the path and the second component comprises a destination point of the path.