SDN-Based Application-Aware Networking on the Example of YouTube Video Streaming

TLDR

Application‑aware networking can deliver high‑quality service in resource‑constrained access networks, and SDN provides a flow‑based framework to enable such traffic management. This study examines how YouTube streaming can benefit from an SDN‑based application‑aware network. We implemented and evaluated two OpenFlow testbed approaches—one using deep packet inspection and another using direct application input—to exploit application information for QoE improvement and measured the overhead of each method.

Abstract

Application-Aware Networking is a promising approach to provide good application quality to users in scenarios with limited network resources, like today's access networks. With SDN, a particularly interesting method to enable flowbased traffic management in networks has become available. In this work we take a look at how a specific application, i.e., YouTube Streaming, can benefit from such an SDN-based Application-Aware Network. We implement and investigate an approach based on Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and one based on direct information input from the application in an OpenFlow testbed in order to show, how these different types of application information can be exploited to enhance the Quality of Experience (QoE). Furthermore, we determine the overhead caused by each of the presented approaches.