Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions
Software-defined networking (SDN) is an innovative network architecture that splits the control and management planes from the data plane. It helps in simplifying network manageability and programmability, along with several other benefits. Due to the programmability features, SDN is gaining popular...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/15/5551 |
| _version_ | 1827601608440020992 |
|---|---|
| author | Mudassar Hussain Nadir Shah Rashid Amin Sultan S. Alshamrani Aziz Alotaibi Syed Mohsan Raza |
| author_facet | Mudassar Hussain Nadir Shah Rashid Amin Sultan S. Alshamrani Aziz Alotaibi Syed Mohsan Raza |
| author_sort | Mudassar Hussain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Software-defined networking (SDN) is an innovative network architecture that splits the control and management planes from the data plane. It helps in simplifying network manageability and programmability, along with several other benefits. Due to the programmability features, SDN is gaining popularity in both academia and industry. However, this emerging paradigm has been facing diverse kinds of challenges during the SDN implementation process and with respect to adoption of existing technologies. This paper evaluates several existing approaches in SDN and compares and analyzes the findings. The paper is organized into seven categories, namely network testing and verification, flow rule installation mechanisms, network security and management issues related to SDN implementation, memory management studies, SDN simulators and emulators, SDN programming languages, and SDN controller platforms. Each category has significance in the implementation of SDN networks. During the implementation process, network testing and verification is very important to avoid packet violations and network inefficiencies. Similarly, consistent flow rule installation, especially in the case of policy change at the controller, needs to be carefully implemented. Effective network security and memory management, at both the network control and data planes, play a vital role in SDN. Furthermore, SDN simulation tools, controller platforms, and programming languages help academia and industry to implement and test their developed network applications. We also compare the existing SDN studies in detail in terms of classification and discuss their benefits and limitations. Finally, future research guidelines are provided, and the paper is concluded. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:00:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-500246dc9958429ba048d33cf306ee29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:00:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-500246dc9958429ba048d33cf306ee292023-12-03T13:00:07ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202022-07-012215555110.3390/s22155551Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future DirectionsMudassar Hussain0Nadir Shah1Rashid Amin2Sultan S. Alshamrani3Aziz Alotaibi4Syed Mohsan Raza5Department of Computer Science, University of Wah, Wah Cantt P.O. Box 47010, PakistanDepartment of Computer Science, COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Campus, Wah Cantt P.O. Box 47010, PakistanDepartment of Computer Science, University of Chakwal, Chakwal P.O. Box 48800, PakistanDepartment of Information Technology, College of Computer and Information Technology, Taif University, Taif P.O. Box 21944, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Computer Science, College of Computers and Information Technology, Taif University, Taif P.O. Box 21944, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Computer Science, COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Campus, Wah Cantt P.O. Box 47010, PakistanSoftware-defined networking (SDN) is an innovative network architecture that splits the control and management planes from the data plane. It helps in simplifying network manageability and programmability, along with several other benefits. Due to the programmability features, SDN is gaining popularity in both academia and industry. However, this emerging paradigm has been facing diverse kinds of challenges during the SDN implementation process and with respect to adoption of existing technologies. This paper evaluates several existing approaches in SDN and compares and analyzes the findings. The paper is organized into seven categories, namely network testing and verification, flow rule installation mechanisms, network security and management issues related to SDN implementation, memory management studies, SDN simulators and emulators, SDN programming languages, and SDN controller platforms. Each category has significance in the implementation of SDN networks. During the implementation process, network testing and verification is very important to avoid packet violations and network inefficiencies. Similarly, consistent flow rule installation, especially in the case of policy change at the controller, needs to be carefully implemented. Effective network security and memory management, at both the network control and data planes, play a vital role in SDN. Furthermore, SDN simulation tools, controller platforms, and programming languages help academia and industry to implement and test their developed network applications. We also compare the existing SDN studies in detail in terms of classification and discuss their benefits and limitations. Finally, future research guidelines are provided, and the paper is concluded.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/15/5551SDNnetwork testing and verificationflow rule installation mechanismsnetwork security and managementmemory managementSDN emulators and simulators |
| spellingShingle | Mudassar Hussain Nadir Shah Rashid Amin Sultan S. Alshamrani Aziz Alotaibi Syed Mohsan Raza Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions Sensors SDN network testing and verification flow rule installation mechanisms network security and management memory management SDN emulators and simulators |
| title | Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions |
| title_full | Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions |
| title_fullStr | Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions |
| title_short | Software-Defined Networking: Categories, Analysis, and Future Directions |
| title_sort | software defined networking categories analysis and future directions |
| topic | SDN network testing and verification flow rule installation mechanisms network security and management memory management SDN emulators and simulators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/15/5551 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mudassarhussain softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections AT nadirshah softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections AT rashidamin softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections AT sultansalshamrani softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections AT azizalotaibi softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections AT syedmohsanraza softwaredefinednetworkingcategoriesanalysisandfuturedirections |