The SDN architecture facilitates the flexible deployment of network functions. While promoting
innovation this architecture induces yet a higher chance of conflicts compared to conventional
networks. The detection of conflicts in SDN is the focus of this work. Restrictions of the
formal analytical approach drive our choice of an experimental approach in which we determine
a parameter space and a methodology to perform experiments. We have created a dataset covering
a number of situations occurring in SDN. The investigation of the dataset yields a conflict
taxonomy composed of various classes organized in three broad types: local distributed and
hidden conflicts. Interestingly hidden conflicts caused by side-effects of control
applications' behaviour are completely new. We introduce the new concept of multi-property set
and the ·r (dot r) operator for the effective comparison of SDN rules. With these capable means
we present algorithms to detect conflicts and develop a conflict detection prototype. The
evaluation of the prototype justifies the correctness and the realizability of our proposed
concepts and methodologies for classifying as well as for detecting conflicts. Altogether our
work establishes a foundation for further conflict handling efforts in SDN e.g. conflict
resolution and avoidance. In addition we point out challenges to be explored.
