SCM: A method to improve network service layout efficiency with network evolution

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 12; no. 12; p. e0189336
• Main Authors: Zhao, Qi, Zhang, Chuanhao, Zhao, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 21.12.2017; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Algorithms; Analysis; Architectural engineering; Bandwidths; Biological evolution; Biology and Life Sciences; Chains; Cloud computing; Communications traffic; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer centers; Computer Communication Networks; Computer Simulation; Cybernetics; Design optimization; Digital switching; Efficiency; Energy consumption; Engineering and Technology; Evolution; Fuzzy sets; Genetic algorithms; Integer programming; Linear programming; Methods; Migration; Optimization; Particle swarm optimization; Performance management; Physical Sciences; Programming, Linear; Research and Analysis Methods; Software; Swarm intelligence; Telecommunications industry; Virtualization (Computing); Wide area networks; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189336

Network services are an important component of the Internet, which are used to expand network functions for third-party developers. Network function virtualization (NFV) can improve the speed and flexibility of network service deployment. However, with the evolution of the network, network service layout may become inefficient. Regarding this problem, this paper proposes a service chain migration (SCM) method with the framework of "software defined network + network function virtualization" (SDN+NFV), which migrates service chains to adapt to network evolution and improves the efficiency of the network service layout. SCM is modeled as an integer linear programming problem and resolved via particle swarm optimization. An SCM prototype system is designed based on an SDN controller. Experiments demonstrate that SCM could reduce the network traffic cost and energy consumption efficiently.