Abstract:
The architecture of integrating Software Defined Networking (SDN) with NetworkFunction Virtualization (NFV) is an excellent architecture because the former virtu-alizes the control plane and the latter virtualizes the data plane.As ProgrammingProtocol-independent Packet Processors (P4) becomes popular, the architecture inte-grating SDN with NFV may be changed from traditional switches to P4 switches. Inthis architecture which integrates the P4 switch and NFV (P4+NFV), network func-tions can be provided in both P4 switches (PNF) and NFV (VNF). Thus, to minimizethepacketdelay,anoffloadingproblembetweenP4switchesandNFVinthisP4+NFVshould be addressed. This work addresses this offloading problem and figures out theprioritization mechanism between newly coming packets and packets which requireVNFforminimizingpacketdelay.
We model and analyze P4+NFV architecture using an M/M/1 queuing model withnon-preemptive priority. This work also investigates the effect of using multiple VNFservers, which have different computing capacities, in P4+NFV architecture. Also, weproposeanoptimizationsolutionbasedongradientdescenttofindtheoptimaloffload-ingprobabilityofgoingtoVNF/VNFs.
Results show that optimal offloading from the P4 switch to NFV can reduce theaverage packet delay from 13.40% to 40.73%, when packets requiring VNF are givenhigherprioritythanthenewlycomingpackets.Anotherfindingsisthatoptimaloffload-ing from P4 switch to multiple VNF servers can reduce the average packet delay from4.76% to 40.02%. Also, a larger capacity owned by a VNF server generates a higheroffloadingprobabilitybecausesendingmorepacketstoitbecomesmorebeneficial.