Distributed Trust for Collaborative Network Management: Leveraging DLT in Multi-SDN Controller Environments

Abstract

In complex network systems, multiple Software Defined Networking (SDN) controllers are often deployed across different domains to manage diverse underlay technologies. This multi-controller environment introduces significant challenges in ensuring security and trust, as traditional secure methods such as Public Key Infrastructures (PKI), which rely on Certificate Authorities (CAs), often struggle to provide the necessary flexibility, transparency, and protection against tampering. Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) present a compelling solution by enabling decentralized management and the immutable recording of network configurations. This paper proposes an approach where SDN controllers from various domains act as valida-tor nodes within a DLT framework, utilizing Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) as the consensus mechanism. This creates a distributed trust model that enhances collaborative network management by balancing trust among network controllers. By implementing a private, permissioned ledger, data integrity is enforced, and access is restricted to authorized stakeholders, thus maintaining consistency and trust among network configurations through a verifiable record of all transactions. The performance and operational efficiency of this DLT-based approach in multi-SDN controller environments are further evaluated. Experimental results demonstrate the practical benefits and viability of integrating DLT with SDN environments for collaborative network management.