Economics of Multi-Domain Software-Defined EONs: Games Among Brokers

This paper discusses the network architecture and mechanisms used for advancing the economics of multi-domain software-defined elastic optical networks (SD-EONs) with the considerations of both noncooperative and cooperative games among the incentive-driven brokers. Specifically, in order to architect multi-domain SD-EONs such that the end-to-end lightpath provisioning across multiple domains can be facilitated cost-effectively, we propose to introduce a management plane that contains incentive-driven brokers. As the brokers may compete or cooperate with each other to offer cross-domain lightpath provisioning services due to profits, we design and elaborate on the operation mechanisms for both incentive-driven broker competition (i.e., noncooperative gaming) and market-share based broker bargain (i.e., cooperative gaming). The experimental results that are obtained with an OpenFlow-based control plane SD-EON testbed are also presented to verify the cost-effectiveness of the proposed mechanisms.