Software defined satellite networks: Benefits and challenges

Abstract

To date, traditional satellite systems are containeddesigned and inflexible for configuration update, space systems interconnections and providing fine-grained services. In this paper, we propose a novel satellite network architecture: software defined satellite networks (SDSN) to solve these problems. The new architecture is based on the central control patten of software defined networks (SDN), and takes full use of the inter-satellite links (ISLs) forwarding and GEO broadcasting for rapid network deployment. With global network view and central control ability, SDSN can (1) balance the flexibility and controllability of space dynamic routing algorithms, (2) rapidly deploy flexible and finegrained network management strategies, (3) reduce the system cost, and (4) improve the collaboration between satellites and the compatibility of heterogeneous space systems. Meanwhile, the challenges are also introduced in designing and deploying the new architecture. Finally, the performance of the new SDSN architecture is validated in this paper.

A Two-Layered Shared Tree Multicast Routing Algorithm for Software Defined Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Communication Networks

“…The controller is the core of the SDN, which manages a wide range of data plane resources. Based on the SDSN model proposed by the scholars (ZhuTang et al, 2014), our SDN deployment model of the satellite-terrestrial hybrid network is proposed as Figure2. The SDN controller is set as the controller layer located at the ground station, and a Network Operations and Control Center (NOCC) is set as the application layer.…”