智能软件定义网络

Intelligent Software Defined Networking

近年来,人工智能(artificial intelligence,简称AI)以强劲势头吸引着学术界和工业界的目光,并被广泛应用于各种领域.计算机网络为人工智能的实现提供了关键的计算基础设施.然而,传统网络固有的分布式结构往往无法快速、精准地提供人工智能所需要的计算能力,导致人工智能难以实际应用和部署.软件定义网络(software defined networking,简称SDN)提出集中控制的理念,中央控制器能够按需快速地为人工智能适配计算能力,从而实现其全面部署.将人工智能与SDN网络相结合,实现智能化软件定义网络,既可以解决棘手的传统网络问题,也能够促进网络应用创新.因此,首先研究将人工智能应用于软件定义网络所存在的问题,深入分析基于人工智能的SDN的优势,说明软件定义网络与人工智能结合的必要性.其次,自底向上地从SDN的数据平面、控制平面和应用平面角度出发,思考了不同网络平面与人工智能的结合.通过描述智能化软件定义网络的相关研究历程,介绍了智能软件定义网络在路由优化、网络安全和流量安全这3个方面的关键技术和所面对的挑战.最后,结合其他新兴领域说明智能软件定义网络的优势和前景,并对未来研究工作进行了展望.

In the past few years,artificial intelligence(AI)has attracted the attention of both academia and industry with strong momentum and has been widely utilized in various fields.Computer networks provide critical computing infrastructure for the realization of AI.However,it is inefficient to provide AI with computing power in a fast and accurate manner,because of the inherently distributed structure of traditional networks,and it results in the difficulty in practical application and deployment.Software defined networking(SDN)proposes the concept of centralized control,which adapts computing capability for AI on demand and thereby can achieve comprehensive deployment.Combining AI and SDN to realize intelligent software defined networking can not only solve problems of traditional network but also promote network application innovation.Therefore,this paper introduces the problems which exist in the scenario where combining AI and SDN,explains the necessity of SDN based on AI,and analyzes the advantages of combining SDN with AI.Secondly,from the bottom up,the different combination cases of AI and SDN are considered which include data plane,control plane,and application plane.Besides,the challenges and key technologies are introduced from three aspects:routing optimization,network security,and traffic engineering.Furthermore,the advantages and prospects of the intelligent software defined networking are analyzed via combining other emerging fields comparison,and some future research works are outlined.