Building an Hybrid Distance Learning Infrastructure for Higher Education: Combination of Internet and an Overlay VxLAN Network Controlled by Floodlight

In Senegal, optical fiber has expanded to 45 departments, with a fifth submarine cable set to bolster internet capacity in 2023. However, disruptions from the COVID pandemic and political instability have forced school closures, leaving numerous students without access. To address this, we propose implementing an overlay Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network (VxLAN) on the existing national Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network, specifically designed for interactive distance learning in virtual classrooms nationwide. To ensure adaptability, we introduce a Floodlight Software Defined Networks Controller (SDN) for flow management, with redundant dual controllers for reliability. Real iOS tests on GNS3 confirm VxLAN deployment across three departments, enabling content sharing and providing voice/text resources through Blink. Virtual Private Network (VPN) integration has been tested to reach students in remote areas. Additionally, educational applications, like a lab for automated web application deployment using Ansible, demonstrate the solution's diverse potential for student use cases.