Enhancing performance of conventional computer networks employing selected SDN principles

Abstract

This research is related to computer networks. In this thesis, three main issues are addressed which affect the performance of any computer network: congestion, efficient resources utilization and link failure. Those issues are related to each other in many situations. Many approaches have been suggested to deal with those issues as well as many solutions were applied. Despite all the improvements of the technology and the proposed solutions, those issues continue to be a burden on the system’s performance. This effect is related to the increase of the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements in modern networks. The basic idea of this research is evolving the intelligence of a conventional computer network when dealing with those issues by adding some features of the Software Defined Networking (SDN). This adoption upgrades the conventional computer network system to be more dynamic and higher self-organizing when dealing with those issues. This idea is applied on a system represented by a computer network that uses the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol. The first improvement deals with the distribution of Internet Protocol (IP) routed flows. The second improvement deals with tunnel establishment that serves Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) routed flows and the third improvement deals with bandwidth reservation when applying network restoration represented by Fast Re-route (FRR) mechanism to sooth the effect of link failure in OSPF/MPLS routed network. This idea is also applied on another system that uses the Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) to improve the performance of its routing algorithm. Adopting the SDN notion is achieved by adding an intelligent controller to the system and creating a dialog of messages between the controller and the conventional routers. This requires upgrading the routers to respond to the new modified system.Our proposed approaches are presented with simulations of different configurations which produce fine results.