Open Access

ARTICLE

Enabling Reachability Across Multiple Domains Without Controller Synchronization in SDN

Nauman Khan^1,2, Rosli Bin Salleh^1,*, Ihsan Ali¹, Zahid Khan³, Noman Mazhar¹, Roobaea Alroobaea⁴, Fahad Almansour⁵, Usman Ali¹
1 Department of Computer System and Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, Malaysia
2 Department of Computer Science and IT, University of Malakand, Pakistan
3 Robotics and Internet-of-Things Lab, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Computer Science, College of Computers and Information Technology, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia
5 Department of Computer Science, College of Sciences and Arts Rass, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Rosli Bin Salleh. Email:

Computers, Materials & Continua 2021, 69(1), 945-965. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2021.017394

Received 29 January 2021; Accepted 11 April 2021; Issue published 04 June 2021

Abstract

Software-defined networking (SDN) makes network agile and flexible due to its programmable approach. An extensive network has multiple domains in SDN for the scalability and performance of the network. However, the inter-domain link is also crucial for the stability of the entire network on the data plane layer. More than one inter-domain connection enhances the scalability of the data plane layer. However, it faces a reachability problem with the principal root, which causes forwarding loops and packet drops in the network, thereby degrading network performance. The proposed solution is a multiple controller architecture; however, this approach increases the complexity and affects network performance. Thus, in this study, we propose a framework that avoids forwarding loops and packet drops without the synchronization of multiple-domain controllers in the network using an avoid loop with test packet scheme. Moreover, we collect the link status for improved routing and load balancing for the upcoming flow across inter-domain links to prevent congestion and increase throughput in real time. Our proposed methodology can significantly reduce the controller workload against multiple controller architecture, minimize flow setup latency, and improve throughput.

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Keywords

Multiple domain; packet drop; forwarding loop; load balancing; SDN; multiple controller

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Citations