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A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Framework for Evaluating and Selecting SDN Controllers in Industrial IoT Using Analytic Hierarchy Processarchy Process
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Ahmad Jalili *   |
| Gonbad Kavous University |
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Abstract: (12 Views) |
The exponential growth of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the transition toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) necessitate communication infrastructures capable of guaranteeing strict Quality of Service (QoS), such as deterministic low latency and high operational reliability. In this context, Software-Defined Networking (SDN), by decoupling the control plane from the data plane, offers a transformative paradigm for dynamic network management. However, due to the critical imperative of eliminating Single Points of Failure (SPOF), selecting the optimal control platform in mission-critical industrial environments constitutes a complex Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) problem. This paper presents a systematic evaluation framework based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select the most suitable distributed and hybrid SDN controller in IIoT ecosystems. To this end, 10 strategic criteria were formulated, and the pairwise comparison matrix was established via a cross-disciplinary expert panel using geometric mean aggregation (CR = 0.0354). Furthermore, to overcome the challenge of qualitative metadata, a novel mathematical mapping mechanism isomorphic to Saaty's fundamental ratio scale [1/9, 9] was developed to convert the qualitative attributes of six benchmark controllers into continuous quantitative scores. The mathematical model reveals that performance and scalability (jointly 50.28%), along with load balancing and legacy network support (26.02%), hold the highest decision weights. In the resulting ranking, OpenDaylight (ODL) achieved the first rank with a composite score of 0.2501. Comprehensive sensitivity analysis across four operational stress scenarios (including Brownfield, Greenfield, and Equal-Weights) demonstrated the structural invariance and absolute stability of this ranking (σ= 0.00), while cross-validation with empirical Cbench benchmark datasets corroborated these findings. The results indicate that ODL's structural suitability stems from an optimal trade-off among high throughput, rich Southbound API diversity, and seamless integration with legacy equipment, thereby facilitating a smooth, non-disruptive migration toward industrial SDN architectures.
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| Keywords: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Software-Defined Networking (SDN), Controller Selection, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Sensitivity Analysis. |
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Full-Text [PDF 1027 kb]
(6 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Information Technology
Received: 2026/05/6 | Accepted: 2026/10/5 | Published: 2026/10/6
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