The use of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) in the communications of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) demands more comprehensive solutions than those developed to date. The lack of an SDN solution applicable in diverse IIoT scenarios is the problem addressed in this article. The main cause of this problem is the lack of integration of a set of aspects that should be considered in a comprehensive SDN solution. To contribute to the solution of this problem, a review of the literature is conducted in this article, identifying the main requirements for industrial networks nowadays as well as their solutions through SDN. This review indicates that aspects such as security, independence of the network technology used, and network centralized management can be tackled using SDN. All the advantages of this technology can be obtained through the implementation of the same solution, considering a set of aspects proposed by the authors for the implementation of SDNs in IIoT networks. Additionally, after analyzing the main features and advantages of several architectures proposed in the literature, an architecture with distributed network control is proposed for all SDN network scenarios in IIoT. This architecture can be adapted through the inclusion of other necessary elements in specific scenarios. The distributed network control feature is relevant here, as it prevents a single fault-point for an entire industrial network, in exchange for adding some complexity to the network. Finally, the first ideas for the selection of an SDN controller suitable for IIoT scenarios are included, as this is the core element in the proposed architecture. The initial proposal includes the identification of six controllers, which correspond to different types of control planes, and ten characteristics are defined for selecting the most suitable controller through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The analysis and proposal of different fundamental aspects for the implementation of SDNs in IIoT in this article contribute to the development of a comprehensive solution that is not focused on the characteristics of a specific scenario and would, therefore, be applicable in limited situations.

This article deals with the use of software‐defined networking (SDN) in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The use of SDN in IIoT can solve the limitations presented by traditional networks in order to guarantee quality of service (QoS) for new applications. The approach of this work centers on the selection of an SDN controller that satisfies the requirements for the networks of IIoT. Selection is based on the characteristics of the SDN controllers and employs the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). From the review conducted, and as a result of the work, the group of the current best SDN controllers for IIoT is identified, which is a part of the subsequent selection process. Another contribution of this study is that it defines the criteria for comparing these controllers and selecting the most suitable one for this type of application. The established criteria and the employed quantification method via AHP enrich the decision‐making process, providing a replicable model for future selections. The objectives and criteria established can be useful for other SDN selection processes to be used in scenarios where delay, jitter, and packet loss are key parameters to consider. This nuanced approach, accommodating both theoretical frameworks and empirical observations, offers an advancement in the strategic deployment of SDN within IIoT environments.