MULTI-MASTER VALG I ET SOFTWAREDEFINERET NETVÆRK

Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to selection of a controller by a network device in a software defined network. In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a network device configured to receive a first controller availability message from a first controller device in a plurality of controller devices that includes at least a second controller device, select one of the first controller device and the second controller device as a controller for the network device based at least on the first controller availability message received from the first controller device, and report the selection of the controller device to the selected controller device. In some implementations, selection is based on a comparison of one or more performance characteristics for the controller devices. The performance characteristics may include a number of network devices under control by each controller device and/or an average latency for each controller device.