Software Defined Networking

Software Defined Networking (SDN) represents a paradigm shift in the networking environment. Today's networks are still configured relatively statically. There are dynamic routing protocols designed to detect failures and reroute traffic through alternative paths. However, finding the right solution can be quite complex. Additionally, devices (routers, switches, firewalls) are typically configured individually. Creating a new data path therefore requires many individual steps from the administrators. A mistake in any of these steps (e.g., a typo in an IP address) can cause the entire path to fail. Network devices generally have a so-called Control Plane, which manages the routing (determining where data should flow), and a Data Plane, where hardware acceleration is often utilized.