Framework for optimized multimedia routing over software defined networks

The increase of data traffic moving in the Internet is particularly concentrated in multimedia content. However, the rigidity of the typical Internet architecture based on best-effort oriented IP network has limited the development of innovative network services. The new post-PC multimedia services require networks with high levels of flexibility and customization in order to provide efficient security, mobility, availability and QoS. In this context, software defined networking (SDN) is a novel paradigm that decouples the data and control plane in network devices and opens the programming capabilities of the network behavior. SDN opens the possibility to customize the network behavior in function of the different users requirements. In this paper, we describe the SDN architecture and analyze the opportunities to provide new multimedia services. Moreover, a SDN framework is also presented to provide QoS for different multimedia services. This framework uses OpenFlow, Network Virtualization and establishes functional boxes and interfaces to test different routing algorithms. Then, the modules of "Network Performance" and "QoS Routing Algorithm" are implemented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework. The experiments with video streaming information show a quality optimization (PSNR, SSIM, MOS) in comparison with the best effort engine. Finally, the challenges of SDN and the future lines of work are presented. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.