Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) for a Hyperconnected World

A special issue of Future Internet (ISSN 1999-5903). This special issue belongs to the section "Network Virtualization and Edge/Fog Computing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 5631

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Engineering and IT, University of New South Wales, Canberra 2600, Australia
Interests: programmable and software-defined wireless networks; beyond 5G and 6G communication networks and architectures; security in the Internet of Things and cyber physical systems
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Driven by the need for further innovation, efficiency and productivity, a hyperconnected world is the vision of an Internet that goes beyond connecting individuals to include public and private services and applications, such as public transport, energy supply, medical services, etc.

However, there are challenges to realizing this vision due to the different properties and performances of the various networks and communication technologies used by these services as well as their application performance requirements. This heterogeneity threatens to add further complexity to the management of the Internet and limit innovative applications and services.

The abstraction of resources and programmability offered by Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies make them ideal for addressing these challenges.

However, the utilization of SDN and NFV has always been researched in the context of a specific application or networking technology. This Special Issue offers an opportunity for researchers and engineers across all sectors and applications to present their latest progress in SDN and NFV in a more holistic context. It will also represent the focal point for readers interested in this ever-growing field. The topics considered in this workshop include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • SDN and NFV for 6G;
  • Internet of Things and Smart Cities;
  • Security and Security Applications;
  • Resource Optimization and Management;
  • Mobility Management;
  • Software-Defined Wireless Networking Architectures and Applications;
  • Machine learning techniques;
  • Simulation and Testing Techniques;
  • Roadmaps to SDWN Adoption and Standardization.

Dr. Faycal Bouhafs
Dr. Sachin Sharma
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • SDN
  • NFV
  • network programmability
  • smart cities
  • Internet of Things
  • SDWN

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 3252 KB  
Article
Toward Secure SDN Infrastructure in Smart Cities: Kafka-Enabled Machine Learning Framework for Anomaly Detection
by Gayathri Karthick, Glenford Mapp and Jon Crowcroft
Future Internet 2025, 17(9), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17090415 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 710
Abstract
As smart cities evolve, the demand for real-time, secure, and adaptive network monitoring, continues to grow. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) offers a centralized approach to managing network flows; However, anomaly detection within SDN environments remains a significant challenge, particularly at the intelligent edge. This [...] Read more.
As smart cities evolve, the demand for real-time, secure, and adaptive network monitoring, continues to grow. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) offers a centralized approach to managing network flows; However, anomaly detection within SDN environments remains a significant challenge, particularly at the intelligent edge. This paper presents a conceptual Kafka-enabled ML framework for scalable, real-time analytics in SDN environments, supported by offline evaluation and a prototype streaming demonstration. A range of supervised ML models covering traditional methods and ensemble approaches (Random Forest, Linear Regression & XGBoost) were trained and validated using the InSDN intrusion detection dataset. These models were tested against multiple cyber threats, including botnets, dos, ddos, network reconnaissance, brute force, and web attacks, achieving up to 99% accuracy for ensemble classifiers under offline conditions. A Dockerized prototype demonstrates Kafka’s role in offline data ingestion, processing, and visualization through PostgreSQL and Grafana. While full ML pipeline integration into Kafka remains part of future work, the proposed architecture establishes a foundation for secure and intelligent Software-Defined Vehicular Networking (SDVN) infrastructure in smart cities. Full article
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Review

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62 pages, 2365 KB  
Review
Securing the SDN Data Plane in Emerging Technology Domains: A Review
by Travis Quinn, Faycal Bouhafs and Frank den Hartog
Future Internet 2025, 17(11), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17110503 - 3 Nov 2025
Viewed by 995
Abstract
Over the last decade, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has garnered increasing research interest for networking and security. This interest stems from the programmability and dynamicity offered by SDN, as well as the growing importance of SDN as a foundational technology of future telecommunications networks [...] Read more.
Over the last decade, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has garnered increasing research interest for networking and security. This interest stems from the programmability and dynamicity offered by SDN, as well as the growing importance of SDN as a foundational technology of future telecommunications networks and the greater Internet. However, research into SDN security has focused disproportionately on the security of the control plane, resulting in the relative trivialization of data plane security methods and a corresponding lack of appreciation of the data plane in SDN security discourse. To remedy this, this paper provides a comprehensive review of SDN data plane security research, classified into three primary research domains and several sub-domains. The three primary research domains are as follows: security capabilities within the data plane, security of the SDN infrastructure, and dynamic routing within the data plane. Our work resulted in the identification of specific strengths and weaknesses in existing research, as well as promising future directions, based on novelty and overlap with emerging technology domains. The most striking future directions are the use of hybrid SDN architectures leveraging a programmable data plane, SDN for heterogeneous network security, and the development of trust-based methods for SDN management and security, including trust-based routing. Full article
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40 pages, 11569 KB  
Review
MEC and SDN Enabling Technologies, Design Challenges, and Future Directions of Tactile Internet and Immersive Communications
by Shahd Thabet, Abdelhamied A. Ateya, Mohammed ElAffendi and Mohammed Abo-Zahhad
Future Internet 2025, 17(11), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17110494 - 28 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1075
Abstract
Tactile Internet (TI) is an innovative paradigm for emerging generations of communication systems that support ultra-low latency and highly robust transmission of haptics, actuation, and immersive communication in real time. It is considered a critical facilitator for remote surgery, industrial automation, and extended [...] Read more.
Tactile Internet (TI) is an innovative paradigm for emerging generations of communication systems that support ultra-low latency and highly robust transmission of haptics, actuation, and immersive communication in real time. It is considered a critical facilitator for remote surgery, industrial automation, and extended reality (XR). Originally intended as a flagship application for the fifth-generation (5G) networks, their strict constraints, especially the one-millisecond end-to-end latency, ultra-high reliability, and seamless adaptation, present formidable challenges. These challenges are the bottleneck for evolution to sixth-generation (6G) networks; thus, new architects and technologies are urgently required. This survey systematically discusses the most important underlying technologies for TI and immersive communications. It especially highlights using software-defined networking (SDN) and edge intelligence (EI) as enabling technologies. SDN improves the programmability, adaptability, and dynamic control of network infrastructures. In contrast, EI exploits intelligence-based artificial intelligence (AI)-driven decision-making at the network edge for latency optimization, resource usage, and service offering. Moreover, this work describes other enabling technologies, including network function virtualization (NFV), digital twin, quantum computing, and blockchain. Furthermore, the work investigates the recent achievements and studies in which SDN and EI are combined in TI and presents their effect on latency reduction, optimum network utilization, and service stability. A comparison of several State-of-the-Art methods is performed to determine present limitations and gaps. Finally, the work provides open research problems and future trends, focusing on the importance of intelligent, autonomous, and scalable network topologies for defining the paradigm of TI and immersive communication systems. Full article
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39 pages, 4156 KB  
Review
Enabling Green Cellular Networks: A Review and Proposal Leveraging Software-Defined Networking, Network Function Virtualization, and Cloud-Radio Access Network
by Radheshyam Singh, Line M. P. Larsen, Eder Ollora Zaballa, Michael Stübert Berger, Christian Kloch and Lars Dittmann
Future Internet 2025, 17(4), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/fi17040161 - 5 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1472
Abstract
The increasing demand for enhanced communication systems, driven by applications such as real-time video streaming, online gaming, critical operations, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) services, has necessitated the optimization of cellular networks to meet evolving requirements while addressing power consumption challenges. In this context, various [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for enhanced communication systems, driven by applications such as real-time video streaming, online gaming, critical operations, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) services, has necessitated the optimization of cellular networks to meet evolving requirements while addressing power consumption challenges. In this context, various initiatives undertaken by industry, academia, and researchers to reduce the power consumption of cellular network systems are comprehensively reviewed. Particular attention is given to emerging technologies, including Software-Defined Networking (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV), and Cloud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN), which are identified as key enablers for reshaping cellular infrastructure. Their collective potential to enhance energy efficiency while addressing convergence challenges is analyzed, and solutions for sustainable network evolution are proposed. A conceptual architecture based on SDN, NFV, and C-RAN is presented as an illustrative example of integrating these technologies to achieve significant power savings. The proposed framework outlines an approach to developing energy-efficient cellular networks, capable of reducing power consumption by approximately 40 to 50% through the optimal placement of virtual network functions. Full article
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