Does anyone have an understandable definition of SDN?

[LetMePass]

Hi there,

I've been researching SDN recently, but I'm not sure what tasks it performs. I've looked up a lot of definitions online, but I'm still not sure what precise issues it addresses.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a networking concept that enables centralized and intelligent management and control of individual hardware components using software. Using open protocols such as OpenFlow allows access to network devices such as switches, routers or firewalls that otherwise could not be controlled due to proprietary firmware.

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Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a technology for network control and management that enables dynamic and programmatic approaches to network monitoring and configurations. With SDN, network operators or engineers can modify and control the traffic from the centralized controller without touching the individual routers and switches on the network. It can also do the dynamic implementation of the initial configuration by using plug-and-play provisioning. SDN also automatically updates the changes in configuration based on the pre-defined policies configured on the SDN controller.

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Alright but what more? It's very vague. Would you be able to give me a couple of simple examples? So I can figure out a good definition.

How different would be a network managed by SDN and a network not managed by SDN? Please!

What would be the advantages and disadvantages of having a network unmanaged by SDN and vice-versa?

To properly grasp the topic, I require concrete instances.

Cheers,

Chris

[M02@rt37 · Accepted solution]

Hello @LetMePass,

With SDN, you can dynamically route network traffic to optimize performance. For example, in a data center, if one path is congested, SDN can reroute traffic to less congested paths in real-time --what we call Dynamic Traffic Management

As concerned QoS, SDN allows for granular QoS control. In a VoIP network, SDN can prioritize voice traffic over other data, ensuring call quality even during network congestion.

Security Policy Enforcement ?  SDN can automatically enforce security policies. For instance, if a security threat is detected, the SDN controller can quarantine the affected devices or segments, isolating them from the rest of the network.

In a traditional network, configurations on routers and switches are often static and manually configured. Any changes or optimizations require manual intervention and configuration updates.

Non-SDN networks may lack real-time visibility and detailed traffic analytics. It can be challenging to monitor and troubleshoot network issues. Also, expanding or scaling a non-SDN network can be complex, requiring the addition of more physical devices, which can be costly and time-consuming.

On the other hand, SDN provides centralized control and management, making it easier to configure and optimize the network as a whole. SDN allows for on-the-fly changes to network policies, QoS, and routing, making it adaptable to various scenarios and application needs.

SDN automates many network management tasks, reducing the need for manual configuration and maintenance.

Non-SDN networks require manual configuration, which can be error-prone and time-consuming.

These networks may lack the agility to quickly respond to changing traffic patterns and security threats.

Expanding non-SDN networks can be complex, potentially requiring extensive hardware additions.

--SDN offers dynamic control, agility, and automation, while non-SDN networks are often static and require manual intervention. SDN is advantageous in scenarios where flexibility, scalability, and centralized control are critical, such as large data centers, cloud environments, or networks with rapidly changing traffic patterns. Non-SDN networks may be suitable for simpler, static environments where frequent changes and optimizations are not required.