Freedom251 › Software-Defined Networking Software
Faucet
What Faucet is
Faucet is a free, open-source OpenFlow controller for network operators managing production networks and OpenFlow hardware. It moves network control functions—including routing, neighbor discovery, and switching algorithms—into vendor-independent server software, with a centralized control plane. Faucet controls OpenFlow 1.3.x switches that support multiple tables and group tables. Its listed network features include VLANs, IPv4 and IPv6, static and BGP routing, access control lists, port mirroring, and switch stacking. Policy-based forwarding can offload processing to external systems, including 802.1X through hostapd. Network configuration uses YAML, and the documentation includes a command to check configuration before loading it. Installation options are pip3, apt-get, and Docker. The documented deployment runs Faucet on a host alongside Gauge, Prometheus, and Grafana; monitoring support also includes InfluxDB time-series statistics. Switch control channels can use TLS on a dedicated port, and switches can be configured for fail-secure or fail-standalone behavior. High availability uses redundant controllers on separate hardware with the same configuration, without shared state between them. Faucet is licensed under Apache-2.0 and supports Linux and self-hosted deployments.
Who it suits
Faucet is for network operators who manage production networks and OpenFlow hardware and want to run network control functions in server software. It suits teams configuring supported switches with YAML and using the listed monitoring integrations.
What it does well
- Free and licensed under Apache-2.0.
- Supports VLANs, IPv4, IPv6, static routing, and BGP.
- Includes ACLs, port mirroring, and switch stacking.
- Supports Prometheus, Grafana, and InfluxDB monitoring.
- Offers pip3, apt-get, and Docker installation routes.
- Redundant controllers can provide high availability.
What to know first
- Requires switches supporting OpenFlow 1.3.x with multiple tables.
- Vendor-specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA are unsupported.
- Supports one RADIUS server, without accounting or multiple-server support.
- High availability does not share controller state.
Limits
Faucet supports OpenFlow 1.3.x switches with multiple tables and group tables; vendor-specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA are unsupported. It connects to one RADIUS server and does not support RADIUS accounting or multiple RADIUS servers.
Getting started
- Choose a supported Linux system or self-hosted environment.
- Install Faucet with pip3, apt-get, or Docker.
- Configure the network in YAML and check the configuration before loading it.
- Set up the host alongside Gauge, Prometheus, and Grafana as described in the installation guide.
- Connect supported OpenFlow 1.3.x switches.
Verdict
Choose Faucet if you operate production networks with supported OpenFlow switches and want a free, self-hosted controller with routing, policy, and monitoring capabilities. Look elsewhere if your hardware depends on vendor-specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA, or if you need RADIUS accounting or multiple RADIUS servers.
Questions
Is Faucet free?
Yes. Faucet is listed as free, with a free plan and no free trial.
Is Faucet open source?
Yes. The project is licensed under Apache-2.0.
Which systems are listed as supported?
The documentation lists Debian 10+, Raspbian 10+, Raspberry Pi OS 11+, and Ubuntu 18.04+ for its apt repository.
Which installation methods are available?
The maker lists pip3, apt-get, and Docker.
What monitoring integrations does Faucet support?
It supports Grafana dashboards, Prometheus monitoring and instrumentation, and InfluxDB time-series statistics. The installation guide describes using Faucet with Gauge, Prometheus, and Grafana.
Which switches can Faucet control?
It supports OpenFlow 1.3.x switches with multiple tables and group tables. Vendor-specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA are not supported.
Facts from Faucet's own pages
- Availability
- The site describes high availability using redundant controllers with the same configuration, without shared state or inter process communication. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- Network configuration uses YAML, and the documentation provides a command to check configuration before loading it. · docs.faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment model
- The installation guide describes installing and configuring Faucet on a host alongside Gauge, Prometheus, and Grafana. · docs.faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Hardware support
- Faucet supports OpenFlow 1.3.x switches with multiple tables and group tables; vendor-specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA are not supported. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- High availability
- The maker describes high availability by running redundant controllers on separate hardware with the same configuration, without state sharing between them. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- How it works
- It moves network control functions such as routing, neighbor discovery, and switching algorithms to vendor independent server based software. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The maker says Faucet can be installed with pip3, apt-get, or Docker. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation lists integrations including doveSnap, pipette, Poseidon, DAQ, Forch, and a GNS3 Faucet appliance. · docs.faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker presents Faucet for network operators managing production networks and OpenFlow hardware. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- License
- The project repository identifies Faucet as licensed under Apache-2.0. · github.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Monitoring
- Faucet supports Grafana dashboards, Prometheus monitoring and instrumentation, and InfluxDB time-series statistics. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Network features
- The listed features include VLANs, IPv4 and IPv6, static and BGP routing, ACLs, port mirroring, and switch stacking. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- Faucet connects to a single RADIUS server and does not support RADIUS accounting or multiple RADIUS servers. · docs.faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Policy forwarding
- Policy-based forwarding can offload processing to external systems, including 802.1X via hostapd. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Product
- Faucet is an open-source OpenFlow controller for production networks that moves network control functions into vendor-independent server software. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- The switch control channel can use TLS on a dedicated port, and switches can use fail-secure or fail-standalone behavior. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Users can ask questions and request features through the mailing list, and report issues through GitHub. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- The documentation lists Debian 10+, Raspbian 10+, Raspberry Pi OS 11+, and Ubuntu 18.04+ for its apt repository. · docs.faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Switching and routing
- It supports VLANs, IPv4 and IPv6, static and BGP routing, access control lists, port mirroring, and switch stacking. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026
- Switch support
- Faucet controls hardware supporting OpenFlow 1.3.x with multiple tables; vendor specific pipelines such as Broadcom OFDPA are not supported. · faucet.nz, 7 Oct 2026