Intra-domain routing convergence with centralized control

The decentralized control scheme for routing in current IP networks has been questioned, and a centralized routing scheme has been proposed as an alternative. In this paper, we compare the convergence of centralized control scheme with decentralized link-state routing protocols. We first review the architectural advantages and challenges of centralized control. Thereafter, we identify and discuss the components of the convergence time in both schemes. We present how to achieve fast routing convergence in networks with centralized control. In particular, we analyze how to distribute forwarding information efficiently. Finally, we perform simulation studies on the convergence time for both real and synthetic network topologies and study the impact of control element location, link weights, and number of failures on the convergence time. The results show that the centralized control scheme can provide faster routing convergence than link-state routing protocols.