A Scalable Blockchain Framework for Secure Data and Computational Resource Management in SDN
Debashis Das, La Chiara Landrum, Pushpita Chatterjee, Uttam Ghosh · 2024
The rapid evolution of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has transformed network management by decoupling the control and data planes. It provides centralized control, enhanced flexibility, and programmability of network management services. However, this centralized control introduces security vulnerabilities and challenges related to data integrity, unauthorized access, and resource management. In addition, it brings forth significant challenges in secure and scalable data storage and computational resource management. These challenges are further increased by the need for real-time processing and the ever-increasing volume of data. To address these challenges, this paper presents a scalable blockchain-based framework for security and computational resource management in SDN architectures. The proposed framework ensures decentralized and tamper-resistant data handling and utilizes smart contracts for automated resource allocation. Due to the need for advanced security and scalability in SDN networks, this work incorporates sharding to improve parallel processing capabilities. The performance of sharded versus non-sharded blockchain systems under various network conditions is evaluated. Our findings demonstrate that the sharded blockchain model enhances scalability and throughput with robust security and fault tolerance. The framework is also assessed for its performance, scalability, and security to enhance SDN resilience against data breaches, malicious activities, and inefficient resource distribution.