Software defined networking for wireless sensor networks: a survey

One main feature of Software Defined Networking (SDN) is the basic principle of decoupling a device’s control plane from its data plane. This simplifies network management and gives network administrators a remarkable control over the network elements. As the control plane for each device within the network is now implemented on a separate controller, this reliefs individual devices from the overhead caused by complex routing. Specifically, this feature has been shown to be extremely beneficial in the case of resource-constrained Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). By keeping the control logic away from the low-powered nodes, the WSNs can resolve their major issues of resource underutilisation and counter-productivity. This paper highlights the importance of adopting the SDN in the WSNs as a relatively new networking paradigm. This is introduced through a comprehensive survey on relevant networking paradigms and protocols supported by a critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of these mechanisms. Furthermore, open research issues and challenges are pointed out shedding a light on future innovations in this field.