The OpenFlow Management and Configuration Protocol (OF-Config) is a special set of rules that defines a mechanism for OpenFlow controllers to access and modify configuration data on an OpenFlow switch.
One of the most common methods of implementing a software-defined network (SDN) is to decouple the control plane from a physical network and place management in a centralized controller. Often, that controller uses OpenFlow as a southbound protocol to direct specific flows between nodes on the network. Although OpenFlow determines how packets are forwarded between individual sources and destinations, it doesn’t provide the configuration and management functions that are needed to allocate ports or assign IP addresses. OpenFlow configuration protocols, like OF-Config, help with this and give network engineers an overall view of every area of the network. They also offer provide engineers with the ability to set policies and manage traffic across devices.