Reducing CPU Utilization & Improving Failover Time in Dual Controller SDN (Software Defined Network) Environment

Abstract

A salient component of the network is failover. Largely, customers are accessing dual path controller software defined network (SDN) environment.  Subsequently, when one controller fizzles out the network communication can persist as a result of the other controller.   There will be no interruption in the network communication due to the failover setup which will be effective in case of failure of a controller.  In the absence of failover, the network communication will be obstructed.  This could be by cause of the system resources, system itself or routing policies or Distributed Denial of Services.  Generally, controller will support many switches. When SDN controller collapses controller will not be in sync with switches. After few attempts switches will failover to the secondary SDN controller. During this shutdown time the network communication will be obstructed.  Failover algorithm is the key to solve this issue and will facilitate the synchronization of the information with SDN controllers and enhance failover time.  Apparently, communication between both SDN controllers and switches is enhanced as well as reinforces the time of synchronization due to multiple SDN controllers.  CPU utilization is another problem in SDN environment as the new inflow packets need to be forwarded to control plane to find the action that need to be taken. Processing at both ends and having one to one mapping between new incoming connection requests and the packet from data plane to control plane increases the CPU utilization and there by more power consumption.