HP VAN SDN Controller Administrator Guide v3

6 Team Configuration
Standalone controller operation provides management for the OpenFlow switches in a network.
However, it does not provide high availability (HA), with the result that a controller failure leaves
the network in an unmanaged state. Configuring a team of controllers and a corresponding
controller region creates a high availability network with failover capability, resulting in a
continuously managed network in the event that a controller in the team goes down. Controller
teaming also provides centralized controller configuration and monitoring. This chapter describes
how to configure a controller team. See Region Configuration to configure a region for a controller
team.
NOTE: Teaming operation requires the High Availability “Add Controller” license (HP VAN SDN
Ctrl HA E-LTU). For licensing information, see “License Registration and Activation” (page 53).
6.1 Controller Team Operation
In the HP VAN SDN Controller, teaming is configured using the REST API. This section describes
configuring a controller team using cURL commands.
6.1.1 Team Management
Each controller belonging to a team is a team member. To centralize team management and
control, one controller is designated as the team leader. Teaming is configured on one controller
and is automatically propagated to the other controllers in the team, regardless of which controller
becomes the team leader.
Once a team is configured, the configuration and monitoring of team members and their associated
OpenFlow switches is performed by the team leader. If the team leader goes down, another active
controller will become the team leader. If a team leader fails and then recovers, it resumes operation
as only a team member.
6.1.2 Team Operating Requirements
• Team size: 3 controllers.
• All controllers in a team must be running the same software version.
• A team requires one IP address for each controller, plus one IP address assigned to the team.
If the current team leader goes down, the failover process includes keeping the team IP address
active on the new team leader.
NOTE: The IP address for each team member, including the team leader, is the IP address of the
machine on which each controller is configured. The team IP address is a separate address
determined by the Administrator.
Ensure that route configuration in the controller domain enables the controller team IP address to
be reached from all areas of the domain.
6.2 Configuring a Controller Team
6.2.1 Configuration Prerequisites
1. Install and start three standalone HP VAN SDN controllers in the network. (See the latest HP
VAN SDN Controller Installation Guide.)
2. Optional: To improve security, you can change the username and password from the default
settings on each of the standalone controllers in step 1.
3. Select any one of the controllers to use for configuring the team.
82 Team Configuration