Empowering Command and Control through a Combination of Information-Centric Networking and Software Defined Networking

• Published in: IEEE communications magazine 2019-08, Vol.57 (8), p.48-55
• Main Authors: Leal, Gabriel Martins, Zacarias, Iulisloi, Stocchero, Jorgito Matiuzzi, Freitas, Edison Pignaton de
• Format: Magazinearticle
• Language: English
• Subjects: Armed forces; Battlefields; Command and control; Command and control systems; Decision making; Drones; Internet; IP (Internet Protocol); IP networks; Network security; Software-defined networking; Urban areas; Warfare
• ISSN: 0163-6804; 1558-1896
• DOI: 10.1109/MCOM.2019.1800288

Current operational scenarios are raising new challenges for the deployment of armed forces. New command and control (C2) approaches are emerging to address these problems, pushing responsibility to the edge of the battlefield in what is called network-centric C2 operations. Advances in network warfare have also led to the development of the Internet of Battle Things (IoBT), which combines everything on the battlefield that can support informed decision making. However, these new dynamics require new network paradigms that can be adapted to efficient network operations. In view of the lack of technical solutions, this work seeks to merge information-centric networking (ICN) with software-defined networking (SDN) to meet the high-level operational requirements for "C2 agility" within deployed networks. ICN provides a more efficient data distribution within "ICN islands" in the military IP network, while SDN enables ICN to be integrated with the rest of the IP network, as well as control the patterns of interaction among the IoBT heterogeneous nodes, thus enhancing ICN features. After reviewing key concepts in C2, IoBT, SDN, and ICN, the architecture was modeled in a specific application, and the first experiments have shown promising results.