Project Overview
OF@TEIN+ builds upon the original OF@TEIN project to create an open, federated, SDN/NFV/Cloud-integrated testbed spanning more than 20 institutions across Asia. The initiative enables TEIN-connected countries to collaborate on future Internet research by deploying SmartX Boxes and DataLake infrastructures at academic and research institutions.
Participating Countries
Key Activities
SmartX and Access Box Deployment
Deployed SmartX boxes and microboxes across over 12 countries, including new access centers and upgraded core sites to enable federated experimentation infrastructure.
DataLake and Analytics Systems
Built centralized and high-availability DataLakes at GIST, UM, and NCKU to support monitoring, visualization, and DevOps-style automated testbed operations.
Training Workshops
Conducted workshops on ONOS, SDX, IoT & Visualization, covering SmartX usage, DevOps, multipath routing, SDX orchestration, and data visualization across partner institutions.
Student Fellowship Program
36 student fellows engaged in short-term exchanges and testbed experiments, promoting technical learning and cross-border collaboration in testbed usage and IoT/Cloud integration.
Key Outcomes
Federated Testbed Established
A scalable, federated testbed was deployed across 12+ countries, supporting research on SDN, NFV, and Cloud networking via SmartX infrastructure and distributed architectures.
Widespread Capacity Building
Trained over 50 researchers and students in DevOps, network orchestration, and smart box deployment across regional hubs and via student exchange programs.
Community Software & Tools
Launched GitHub repositories, helpdesk systems, and shared automation scripts to empower partner sites with open-source resources for testbed management.
Research Groups Formation
Formed developer groups focused on SDX fabrics, IoT/SDN, SmartX orchestration, and performance visualization, supporting real-time experimentation across institutions.
Challenges & Lessons Learned
Hardware Logistics
Difficulties in transporting and installing SmartX Boxes across borders delayed deployments and required rescheduling meetings to avoid import complications and cost barriers.
Technical Readiness Disparities
Varying levels of technical familiarity with SDN/DevOps tools among institutions demanded extensive, repeated training and custom support mechanisms.
Coordination Complexities
Coordinating experiments, workshops, and team communications across multiple timezones limited synchronous collaboration, requiring asynchronous systems.
Future Directions
Geographic Expansion
Plan to include new TEIN-connected countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and Fiji, strengthening regional integration and extending research capabilities.
Enhanced Security Research
Expand the Security Operations Center (SOC) and anomaly detection frameworks across additional testbed nodes to strengthen resilience.
Student/Ambassador Programs
Continue ambassador appointments and student fellowships, focusing on advanced topics like DevOps orchestration, IoT, SD-WANs, and federated control planes.
Open-Source Development
Emphasize GitHub-driven knowledge exchange, wider use of SDX fabrics, federated towers, and more inclusive software development practices.
Sustainable Development Goals
Quality Education
Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Partnerships for the Goals