Performance Analysis of Traditional and SDN Based Handovers in Wireless LAN Networks

With the rapid increase of mobile devices handover management in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) is a concern for user mobility. Traditional handover management methods used for user mobility management are decentralized and do not cater to the delay encountered by the number of Ethernet switches between the Access Points (APs) in the WLAN networks. Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology could fulfill the need of effective centralized handover management and load balancing requirements in the WLAN networks. In this paper, we have analyzed the need for SDN to restructure the current WLAN network architecture. Firstly, we analyzed the existing model and proposed an SDN based model for handover management with improved performance; capable of having multiple switches between the APs during user mobility management. Secondly, we have made an experimental testbed in which multiple switches are placed between the APs connecting the mobile stations. Furthermore, these mobile stations are performing handover during their mobility between the coverage area of the APs on traditional and SDN based WLAN networks. Lastly, the results show the analysis of data rate and delay measured on traditional and SDN based WLAN networks.