BlockSDN-VC: A SDN-Based Virtual Coordinate-Enhanced Transaction Broadcast Framework for High-Performance Blockchains

2025-09-30

AI Summary

To address the asynchronous node behavior and degraded propagation efficiency in blockchain transaction broadcasting—caused by slow iterative updates in virtual coordinate systems—this paper proposes the first centralized broadcast framework integrating Software-Defined Networking (SDN) with virtual coordinates. The framework leverages an SDN controller to compute globally consistent virtual coordinates, dynamically perceive geographic distribution and network conditions, and enforce fine-grained forwarding control—without requiring client-side modifications. Its key innovation lies in centralizing coordinate management and enabling real-time path convergence, thereby significantly improving synchronization efficiency in dynamic environments. Experimental results show: (i) a 62% reduction in median latency and 4× faster coordinate convergence in simulation; and (ii) a 17% increase in transaction confirmation throughput under adversarial load in real blockchain deployments, with control overhead below 3%.

Technology Category

• Search and Optimization: Distributed Search
• Multiagent Systems: Coordination and Collaboration
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Blockchains and distributed ledgers
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Economic aspects of blockchain and cryptocurrencies
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures

Abstract

Modern blockchains need fast, reliable propagation to balance security and throughput. Virtual-coordinate methods speed dissemination but rely on slow iterative updates, leaving nodes out of sync. We present BlockSDN-VC, a transaction-broadcast protocol that centralises coordinate computation and forwarding control in an SDN controller, delivering global consistency, minimal path stretch and rapid response to churn or congestion. In geo-distributed simulations, BlockSDN-VC cuts median latency by up to 62% and accelerates convergence fourfold over state-of-the-art schemes with under 3% control-plane overhead. In a real blockchain environment, BlockSDN-VC boosts confirmed-transaction throughput by 17% under adversarial workloads, requiring no modifications to existing clients.

Problem

• Accelerating transaction propagation in high-performance blockchains
• Reducing latency and improving throughput with SDN control
• Enhancing broadcast consistency and response to network changes

Innovation

• Centralizes coordinate computation in SDN controller
• Provides global consistency and minimal path stretch
• Enables rapid response to network churn or congestion