A distributed virtual network mapping algorithm

Network Virtualization is a promising concept to diversify the Future Internet architecture into separate Virtual Networks (VN) that can support simultaneously multiple network experiments, services and architectures over a shared substrate network. To take full advantage of this paradigm this paper addresses the challenge of assigning VNs to the underlying physical network in a distributed and efficient manner. A distributed algorithm responsible for load balancing and mapping virtual nodes and links to substrate nodes and links has been designed, implemented and evaluated. A VN Mapping Protocol is proposed to communicate and exchange messages between agent-based substrate nodes to achieve the mapping. Results of the implementation and a performance evaluation of the distributed VN mapping algorithm using a Multi-agent approach are reported.