Software Defined Networking and Virtualization for Smart Grid
Hakki C. Cankaya · 2018
The Smart Grids that connect Smart Homes are being built by Power Utilities to collectively shape Smart Cities. These new generation Power Utilities will also play a distinctive role to facilitate many new applications and services. In the trend of moving towards Smart Cities, the Telecommunications infrastructure and Services for Power Grid Utilities have been a challenge due to its complex and costly operations and constant improvements that are needed for the networks which span over multiple domains. Additionally, data centers and public and/or private clouds have already become parts of the Power Grid IT Infrastructure (IT/OT Convergence). The current Power Grid IT and Telecom network infrastructure are based on purpose-built hardware for each network function and use technology-specific interfaces. Recent paradigm shift in networking towards SDN/NFV have already started and next generation Power Grids should be part of this modernization. An obvious benefit is the simplification that manifests itself in cost reduction for network devices (white-boxes) and their operations. In addition to improving quality of life, new applications will help revenue grow for Smart Grid Utilities and create sustainable environment for Smart Cities. The chapter covers issues, problems, and solutions of Smart Grid by the introduction of SDN and NFV to the Power Utilities Telecommunications Networks.