Blockchain-Powered Software Defined Network-Enabled Networking Infrastructure for Cloud Management

Abstract

Cloud architecture has become a valuable solution for different applications, such as big data analytics, due to its highdegree of availability, scalability and strategic value. However, there still remain challenges in managing cloud architecture, in areas such as cloud security. In this paper, we exploit softwaredefined networking (SDN) and blockchain technologies to secure cloud management platforms from a networking perspective. We develop a blockchain-powered SDN-enabled networking infrastructure in which the integration between blockchain-based security and autonomy management layer and multi-controller SDN networking layer is defined to enhance the integrity of the control and management messages. Furthermore, our proposed networking infrastructure also enables the autonomous bandwidth provisioning to enhance the availability of cloud architecture. In the simulation section, we evaluate the performance of our proposed blockchain-powered SDN-enabled networking infrastructure by considering different scenarios.

Intelligent Blockchain-Based Secure Routing for Multidomain SDN-Enabled IoT Networks

“…Liu et al [24] proposed a framework called BS-IoT, which supports the cooperative IoT networking management using blockchain technology. Fernando et al [17] designed a two layers infrastructure, which consists of multi-controller SDN networking layer and blockchain-based autonomy layer. It enhances the integrity of the control and management commands.…”

“…In the blockchain layer, we implement a smart contract that stores the abstract topologies and the SDN controllers' reputations as state variables. e SDN controllers upload their abstract topologies to the smart contract [17] through Google Remote Procedure Call (gRPC). Because the smart contract is part of the blockchain, which is called the chain code, in other words, the abstract topologies and reputations are reserved in the blockchain.…”

“…e smart contract is a self-executing contract with the terms of agreement, which is written into lines of code in the blockchain. e SDN controllers upload their abstract topologies to the blockchain [17]. e abstract topology only consists of intra-domain virtual links and inter-domain links [18], which protects network privacy from disclosure as well as reduces the size of information.…”

Blockchain-based trust management in cloud computing systems: a taxonomy, review and future directions

“…In response to the severe security issues faced by traditional centralized cloud computing architectures, P. Fernando, et al [71] proposed a hybrid cloud service architecture based on blockchain and SDN. The proposed architecture contained a blockchain security management layer and a multi-controller SDN network layer.…”

BMC‐SDN: Blockchain‐Based Multicontroller Architecture for Secure Software‐Defined Networks

“…Blockchain is also used to secure multicontroller SDN. Fernando and Wei [18] proposed an infrastructure comprising two layers: (1) multicontroller SDN networking layer and (2) blockchain-based layer. The control/management commands of the SDN controller are hashed and recorded in a smart contract of the blockchain and sent to the targeted SDN controller.…”