OpenStack Networking provides an extensible plugin architecture that makes implementing new network features possible. Neutron maintains the logical network architecture in its database, and network plugins and agents on each node are responsible for configuring virtual and physical network devices accordingly. Using the Modular Layer 2 (ML2) plugin, developers can spend less time implementing core Neutron API functionality and more time developing value-added features.

Now that OpenStack Networking services have been installed across all nodes in the environment, configuration of the Mechanism driver is all that remains before instances can be created. In the following two chapters, you will be guided through the configuration of the ML2 plugin and both the Linux bridge and Open vSwitch drivers and agents. We will also explore the differences between Linux bridge and...