Abstract
Big data applications depend on underlying networks that make the transfer of information possible. These networks may be real (conventional) or virtual (in case of services hosted in data centers). Either way, the responsibility of smooth execution of the application, despite increasing traffic volume, lies with the service provider. The service providers face many challenges with respect to providing a high quality of service. It is therefore in the best interest of the service providers that efficiency of the applications is increased. SDN has the potential to improve big data application performance. In this paper we have a look at the recent advancements in technology that helps improve big data applications using SDN and discuss our observations.