Analysis of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) Performance in Wired and Wireless Networks Across Various Topologies, Including Single, Linear, and Tree Structures

Abstract

The increasing prominence of the internet and the resulting heightened demand for flexibility and agility have rendered traditional networking solutions inadequate for meeting current computing needs. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) emerges as a solution to achieve these goals. A controller plays a crucial role in determining the success of SDN. Therefore, it is necessary to assess and compare the various SDN controllers used across different industries. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of two recognized SDN controllers, POX and Ryu. Our research employs the Mininet-Wi-Fi emulator, and we assess the aforementioned controllers using metrics such as Jitter, throughput, packet loss, and delay, utilizing the Distributed Internet Traffic Generator (D-ITG). What sets our research apart is its examination of network performance across both wired and wireless transmission modalities. Fast Ethernet was chosen as the speed for the wired medium, as it had not been studied before. Additionally, the packet size ranged from 128 to 1,024 bytes. We used single, linear, and tree topologies for comparison. Our experimental findings demonstrate that, in the majority of cases, Ryu offers significantly reduced latency, packet loss, and jitter compared to POX. Furthermore, the Ryu controller outperforms POX in terms of throughput, particularly in wireless networks.