Software defined satellite networks: Benefits and challenges

To date, traditional satellite systems are contained-designed and inflexible for configuration update, space systems interconnections and providing fine-grained services. In this paper, we propose a novel satellite network architecture: software defined satellite networks (SDSN) to solve these problems. The new architecture is based on the central control patten of software defined networks (SDN), and takes full use of the inter-satellite links (ISLs) forwarding and GEO broadcasting for rapid network deployment. With global network view and central control ability, SDSN can (1) balance the flexibility and controllability of space dynamic routing algorithms, (2) rapidly deploy flexible and fine-grained network management strategies, (3) reduce the system cost, and (4) improve the collaboration between satellites and the compatibility of heterogeneous space systems. Meanwhile, the challenges are also introduced in designing and deploying the new architecture. Finally, the performance of the new SDSN architecture is validated in this paper.