• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.67-78
• /
• 2024

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a new emerging networking paradigm that has adopted a logically centralized architecture to increase overall network performance agility and programmability. Combining network virtualization with SDN will guarantees for combined advantages of improved flexibility and network performance. Combining SDN with hypervisors divides the network physical resources into several logical transparent and isolated virtual SDN network (vSDN), where each has its virtual controller. However, SDN hypervisors bring several advantages as well as several challenges to its network operators as for the virtual appliances, their efficient placement, assurance of network performance is mandatory, and their dynamic instantiation with their migration. In this article, we provide a brief and concise review of network virtualization along with its implementation in the SDN network. SDN hypervisors types are discussed, and taxonomy is provided to demonstrate the importance of hypervisors in SDN. A comparison of SDN hypervisors is performed to elaborate on the vital hypervisor software along with their features, and different challenges are discussed faced by the SDN network. A framework is proposed to add combined functionalities of hypervisors to create a more effective and efficient virtual system. The purpose of the framework is to increase network performance through proper configuration of resources, software, control plane isolation functions with defined rules and policies.