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OpenDaylight
What it is
OpenDaylight is a free, open-source SDN controller for centralized network control and monitoring. Its modular design connects applications and network hardware through YANG models, MD-SAL, REST APIs, and southbound plugins. The listed protocol support includes OpenFlow, NETCONF, BGP-LS, PCEP, OVSDB, LISP, and SNMP. Clustering, sharded data stores, and leader-based consensus support scaling across nodes. Listed uses include optical transport, service-provider WAN automation, data center SDN, network telemetry, enterprise network control, and ONAP. Its AAA project provides authentication, authorization, accounting, and role-based access controls for northbound interfaces. OpenDaylight is self-hosted and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; setup requires Java 21 or later. Downloads are available as tar and zip packages, with Chromium-SR0 marked current and Vanadium-SR1 and Titanium-SR3 also listed as supported releases. YANG models generate REST APIs, and RESTCONF is named as an installable feature. The project lists documentation, chat, mailing lists, a wiki, and weekly technical steering meetings as community resources.
For and against
For
- Free and open source.
- Supports multiple network protocols.
- Clustering and sharded stores support scaling.
- AAA provides role-based access controls.
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Against
- Setup requires Java 21 or later.
- Self-hosted deployment requires local operation.
- No free trial is listed.
The verdict
OpenDaylight offers a broad set of network control, API, and scaling capabilities in a free, self-hosted platform. Its Java 21 requirement and implementation-oriented setup make it better suited to technical teams than users seeking a hosted service.
Who it suits
OpenDaylight suits teams and developers who need programmable network control and monitoring across supported network environments. It is aimed at self-hosted deployments that can meet its Java runtime requirement.
Plans and prices
OpenDaylight
Open source SDN platform · downloadable tar or zip · Docker images
Read 3 Oct 2026 · docs.opendaylight.org
On the record
- APIs
- OpenDaylight's YANG models generate REST APIs, and the setup instructions name RESTCONF as an installable feature for REST APIs.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Architecture
- Its modular architecture uses YANG models and MD-SAL to connect applications with network hardware through northbound REST APIs and southbound plugins.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Community support
- The project points users to documentation, Zulip chat, mailing lists, a wiki, and open weekly Technical Steering Committee meetings.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Current download
- The downloads page labels Chromium-SR0 as the current release and offers tar and zip downloads.docs.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- License
- The technical charter says outbound code is made available under the Eclipse Public License 1.0, with documentation under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.docs.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Network use cases
- The site describes use in optical transport, service provider WAN automation, data center SDN, network telemetry, enterprise network control, and ONAP.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Protocols
- The site lists support for OpenFlow, NETCONF, BGP-LS, PCEP, OVSDB, LISP, and SNMP, among other protocols.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- OpenDaylight is an open source SDN controller for centralized, programmable network control and monitoring.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Release support
- The downloads page lists Chromium-SR0, Vanadium-SR1, and Titanium-SR3 under supported releases.docs.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Runtime
- The site's setup instructions require Java 21 or later and state that OpenDaylight runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Scaling
- The platform includes clustering, sharded data stores, and leader-based consensus for horizontal scaling across nodes.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026
- Security
- The AAA project provides authentication, authorization, accounting, and role-based access control for OpenDaylight northbound interfaces.opendaylight.org · read 3 Oct 2026