Assessing the Accuracy of Performance Modelling in Software Defined Networks

Analytical modelling and experimental measurement can are used to evaluate the performance of a network. Models provide insight and measurement provides realism. For software defined networks (SDN) it is unknown how well the existing queueing models represent the performance of a real SDN network. This leads to uncertainty between what can be predicted and the actual behaviour of a software defined network. This work investigates the accuracy of software defined network queueing models. This is done through comparing the performance results of analytical models to experimental performance results. The outcome of this is an understanding of how reliable the existing queueing models are and areas where the queueing models can be improved.