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Software Defined Networking (SDN)

Traditional network versus SDN

  • Virtualization of network services
  • SDN controller manages services instead of services being managed by hardware
  • SDN controller integrates all network's virtual and physical devices into one cohesive system
  • Protocols handle the process of making decisions
    • Control plane
  • Physical devices make actual contact with data transmissions as they traverse the network
    • Data plane
  • Advantage to separating the control plane from the data plane is to provide network technicians with more centralized control of network settings/management
  • SDN creates potential to implement more sophisticated network functions with cheaper devices
  • SDN architecture has been expanding to include management of network resources hosted in places other than an organization's own network

Computer Science Networking