Abstract
The development of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has completely changed the way networks are optimized and controlled. Still, network topologies and SDN controller performance are important factors that need to be thoroughly examined. In this study the evaluation of four well-known SDN controllers: Ryu, Floodlight, OpenDayLight, and ONOS across five different network topologies: Single, Linear, Tree, Torus, and Custom are examined. We conducted extensive experiments using Mininet and Iperf to measure latency, jitter, packet loss, and throughput. It is clear from the results that Ryu performs better than the others, and Linear topology is the most effective. Notably, the best performance is obtained when Ryu and Linear topology work together. Our results suggest that Ryu and linear topology are the best combination for high-performance networks, which has significant implications for the design and deployment of SDN networks. On the other hand, other controllers and topologies are more suitable for certain use cases, such as large networks, research and development, small networks, and custom applications. this study provides invaluable information for researchers, practitioners, and network administrators looking to maximize SDN network performance and realize its full potential.