Integration of Blockchain in Computer Networking: Overview, Applications, and Future Perspectives for Software-defined Networking (SDN), Network Security, and Protocols

The rapid advancement and increasing complexity of computer networks have created a need for robust, secure, and scalable solutions in order to manage and protect network resources. Blockchain, an emerging distributed ledger technology, offers enhanced security, transparency, and privacy preservation. As a result, Blockchain is regarded as a promising solution to network challenges. However, limited research has been conducted in this area so far which highlights the necessity for further in-vestigation and exploration. This paper presents a comprehensive study of blockchain integration in computer networking, focusing on its potential applications, benefits, and future perspectives in Software-defined Networking (SDN), network security, and networking protocols. We identify that blockchain's tamper-proof nature could significantly improve network security by mitigating risks associated with centralized control and single points of failure. The integration of blockchain in computer networking has the potential to increase trust and transparency among network participants, as it allows for secure, verifiable, and auditable transactions and communication. Blockchain also can streamline the management of Software-defined Networking (SDN) by enabling decentralized and automated network control, resource allocation, and orchestration. Additionally, We also find that utilizing blockchain can address network challenges, such as mitigating DDoS attacks, enhancing intrusion detection and prevention, and securing routing protocols. Meanwhile, we also identify potential limitations of blockchain integration in computer networking, such as scalability challenges arising from the growing size of the distributed ledger and increasing network traffic. We emphasize the need for further research in optimizing consensus mechanisms, enhancing scalability and privacy preservation techniques interoperability, and facilitating standardization of networking protocols and practices.