The protocol-agnostic topology is built using two complementary mechanisms - network discovery and configuration. The former takes advantage of network protocols that let ONOS identify the locations and/or properties of network elements, and is proactively carried out by the system if enabled. The latter allows applications and operators to configure the expected topology, or to provide 'hints' about network components that cannot be discovered by typical means, or should be in the network.
This section discusses each mechanism.