SDN-Enabled Distributed Access Architecture Cable Networks.

Cable networks are embracing Distributed Access Architectures (DAA) that push traditionally centralized network functions to the network edge. While this shift offers higher data rates, it complicates the management and configuration of the network by having functions distributed in remote nodes. Separately, SDN has evolved for enabling programmable networks of distributed switches, managed in a logically centralized manner. This paper presents an evolutionary path for SDN-based cable DAA that can overcome the aforementioned challenges and support new network services. We present an SDN-DAA architecture, implemented in a real DAA remote device, and evaluated using Mininet to demonstrate the operational benefits.