Enhanced load balancing technique for SDN controllers: A multi-threshold approach with migration of switches

Enhanced load balancing technique for SDN controllers: A multi-threshold approach with migration of switches | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Enhanced load balancing technique for SDN controllers: A multi-threshold approach with migration of switches ahmadreza montazerolghaem This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6468864/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Deploying multiple controllers in the control panel of software-defined networks increases scalability, availability, and performance, but it also brings challenges, such as controller overload. To address this, load-balancing techniques are employed in software-defined networks.Controller load balancing can be categorized into two main approaches: (1) single-level thresholds and (2) multi-level thresholds. However, previous studies have predominantly relied on single-level thresholds, which result in an imprecise classification of controllers or have assumed uniform controller capacities in multi-level threshold methods. This study explores controller load balancing with a focus on utilizing multi-level thresholds to accurately assess controller status. Switch migration operations are utilized to achieve load balancing, considering factors such as the degree of load imbalance of the target controller and migration efficiency. This includes evaluating the post-migration status of the target controller and the distance between the migrating switch and the target controller to select the appropriate target controller and migrating switch. The proposed scheme reduces controller response time, migration costs, communication overhead, and throughput rate. Results demonstrate that our scheme outperforms others regarding response time and overall performance. Systems and Networking Software-defined networks controller load balancing multi-level thresholds switch migration Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6468864","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":444216366,"identity":"a3305aba-fc4e-4067-bda3-a2efefc3e591","order_by":0,"name":"ahmadreza montazerolghaem","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABE0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSDmAbOYDxxIMLCRAzEPPCBOC1vigw8FacZgLQnEaeExNpzx4XBiA4iNTwv/7O7ED2/32NjzNzCYSfMYMKfPDzv8EGiLnZxuAw5L7pzdLDnnWRqzxAGGNKAWttyNt9MMgFqSjc0O4LDmRu4GaZ4Dh9kYDjAcA2rhyd04OwGk5UDiNhxa5G/kbv7Nc+A/j/wBxjagFol0w9npH/BqMbiRuw1oywEJgwPMzIYzDAwS5KVz8NtiCNRiOedAsoHhYTbGBx8MEgw3SOcUACMIt1/kgA678eaAnb3c8X6ge/78l5efnb75w4cKOzmc3ocDZphTwSoNCClHBvINpKgeBaNgFIyCkQAA+4Nk8e+LzNsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4968-2375","institution":"university of isfahan","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"ahmadreza","middleName":"","lastName":"montazerolghaem","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-17 07:00:23","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6468864/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6468864/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":80866711,"identity":"560fab84-2e55-452b-a5f2-4f5221b9c8bd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-18 03:45:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":13200529,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"main.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6468864/v1_covered_7b4ce921-9a9c-42c7-996f-cbd17f3b1684.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eEnhanced load balancing technique for SDN controllers: A multi-threshold approach with migration of switches\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"University of Isfahan","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Software-defined networks; controller load balancing; multi-level thresholds; switch migration","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6468864/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6468864/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eDeploying multiple controllers in the control panel of software-defined networks increases scalability, availability, and performance, but it also brings challenges, such as controller overload. 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