Flow optimization strategies in data center networks: A survey

In the era of digitization, Data Center Networks (DCN) have emerged as a critical component supporting infrastructure for cloud computing, big data analytics, online services, and more. With the exponential growth in data transmission and processing demands, the issues related to the performance and efficiency of DCN have become increasingly urgent and complex. However, flow in DCN exhibits distinct characteristics compared to traditional networks, including uneven flow volume distribution, bursty transmission demands, and intricate network topologies. Conventional flow optimization strategies often fall short in this unique context. In recent years, researchers have actively proposed a plethora of innovative flow optimization strategies to address the challenges of enhancing the performance and efficiency of DCN. This survey aims to comprehensively review and analyze flow optimization strategies in DCN, encompassing various key areas of research and development dynamics such as load balancing, congestion control, routing optimization, flow scheduling, and flow security. Furthermore, it provides an in-depth discussion of the strengths and limitations of existing strategies to equip researchers with a comprehensive understanding and framework for this field. Moreover, this article explores future research prospects and trends to guide further innovative work in meeting the ever-growing demands of DCN.