The Lazy Networker

How to install OpenDaylight (ODL) on a Proxmox environment.

Written by

renjithbs

in

🌐 What is OpenDaylight (ODL)?

OpenDaylight (ODL) is a modular, open-source Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller developed under the Linux Foundation.
It acts as the central brain of a software-defined network.

Think of ODL as a network operating system that controls switches/routers from one place using programmable APIs.

🧠 What ODL Does

ODL sits centrally and communicates with network devices through southbound protocols like:

  • NETCONF
  • OpenFlow
  • BGP-LS
  • PCEP
  • RESTCONF
  • gNMI

Using these, ODL can:

  • Read device configuration
  • Push new configuration
  • Collect topology information
  • Automate network behavior
  • Build SDN applications on top

⭐ Why ODL Is Popular

  • 100% open source
  • Supports multi-vendor hardware (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Nokia, etc.)
  • Deep support for NETCONF/YANG (used in modern Cisco IOS-XE)
  • Full automation capabilities (northbound REST APIs)
  • Strong community and carrier-grade framework

Used by:

  • Cisco (old Cisco OSC was based on ODL)
  • Red Hat
  • Brocade
  • Ericsson
  • AT&T

🏗️ ODL Architecture (Simple Explanation)

https://docs.opendaylight.org/projects/openflowplugin/en/latest/_images/plugin_arch.png
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317057083/figure/fig2/AS%3A496926631763968%401495487949326/The-simplified-architectural-framework-of-OpenDaylight-13.png
  • Applications
    Custom or prebuilt apps that run on top of ODL (traffic engineering, path computation, network monitoring).
  • Northbound APIs
    RESTCONF/REST APIs used by automation tools (Python, Ansible, SDN apps).
  • Controller Platform (MD-SAL)
    The Model-Driven Service Abstraction Layer.
    This is the “brain” that stores models, state, topology, and configuration.
  • Southbound Plugins
    Protocols used to talk to network devices:
    • OpenFlow
    • NETCONF
    • OVSDB
    • BGP-LS
    • PCEP

🔧 What You Can Do With ODL

✔ Build full SDN topologies

Example: OpenFlow-based switching labs.

✔ Automate Cisco devices using NETCONF/YANG

ODL can act like an automation engine:

  • Push configs
  • Track device state
  • Collect data models

✔ Visualize network topology

ODL automatically discovers and displays network nodes and links.

✔ Traffic engineering (TE) and segment routing

Using BGP-LS and PCEP.

✔ Build your own SDN applications

Example:

  • Auto-VLAN provisioning
  • Auto-QoS
  • Path optimization
  • ACL automation

Here is the simplest and cleanest way to install OpenDaylight (ODL) on a Proxmox environment.
You can install ODL inside a VM (Ubuntu/Debian is recommended).
I’ll give you step-by-step commands, VM configuration, and post-installation access steps.

✅ 1. Create a VM on Proxmox

Use the following recommended specs:

Recommended VM Specs

  • OS: Ubuntu Server 20.04 / 22.04 (ODL works best on 20.04)
  • CPU: 2 vCPUs
  • RAM: 4–6 GB
  • Disk: 20–30 GB
  • Network: 1 Ethernet interface (bridged or VLAN)

OpenDaylight is Java-heavy, so do not assign < 4 GB RAM.

🔧 2. Update the OS

SSH into the VM / Console:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

⚙️ 3. Install Java (ODL requires Java 11)

sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk -y

Check version:

java -version

📦 4. Download OpenDaylight

Download the latest stable version (Phosphorus, Sodium, or Aluminium—any works).

cd /opt
sudo wget https://nexus.opendaylight.org/content/groups/public/org/opendaylight/integration/distribution-karaf/0.14.4/distribution-karaf-0.14.4.tar.gz

(Replace version if newer available.)

📁 5. Extract the ODL package

sudo tar -xvzf distribution-karaf-*.tar.gz
sudo mv distribution-karaf-* opendaylight
cd opendaylight

▶️ 6. Start OpenDaylight

Run ODL:

sudo ./bin/karaf

This launches the Karaf console (ODL CLI).

🧩 7. Install required ODL features

Inside the Karaf console, install main modules:

For OpenFlow:

feature:install odl-restconf odl-l2switch-switch odl-openflow-plugin-all

For NETCONF/YANG:

feature:install odl-restconf odl-netconf-all odl-mdsal-all

For BGP-LS / PCEP:

feature:install odl-bgpcep-bgp odl-bgpcep-pcep

🌐 8. Access Web UI (DLUX)

Enable DLUX:

feature:install odl-dlux-all

Open your browser:

http://<VM-IP>:8181/index.html#/login

Default credentials:

username: admin
password: admin

🔄 9. Run ODL as a service (recommended)

Exit Karaf (Ctrl + D)

Create a systemd service:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/opendaylight.service

Paste:

[Unit]
Description=OpenDaylight SDN Controller
After=network.target

[Service]
User=root
ExecStart=/opt/opendaylight/bin/karaf
Restart=on-abort

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable + start:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable opendaylight
sudo systemctl start opendaylight
sudo systemctl status opendaylight

🎉 ODL is now running on Proxmox!

📌 Bonus: Integrate ODL with Cisco Devices

If using NETCONF:

feature:install odl-restconf odl-netconf-all

Then add your Cisco device:

PUT http://<ODL-IP>:8181/restconf/config/network-topology:network-topology/topology/topology-netconf/node/<device-name>

If using OpenFlow, make sure the switch points to ODL:

openflow controller x.x.x.x port 6633 vrf <name>

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