Software-Defined Network (SDN)
(OBJ 3.1)
Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
- Revolutionary approach to network management
- Enables dynamic, programmatically efficient network configuration
- Improves network performance and monitoring
- Reduces complexity in static and inflexible network architectures
- Provides a centralized view of the entire network
SDN Architecture
- Decouples network control and forwarding functions, enabling network control to become directly programmable and the underlying infrastructure to be abstracted from applications and network services
- Three Distinct Planes
- Data Plane (Forwarding Plane)
- Responsible for handling data packets
- Moves packets from source to destination
- Makes decisions based on protocols like IP and Ethernet
- Concerned with sending and receiving data
- Example:
- When you send an email, the data plane of your network takes responsibility of moving your email data from your device to the recipient's device
- It does this by forwarding the data packets through switches and routers
- Responsible for handling data packets
- Control Plane
- The brain of the network that decides where traffic is sent and is centralized in SDN
- Centralized decision-maker in SDN
- Dictates traffic flow across the entire network
- Replaces traditional, distributed router control planes
- Increases network manageability and flexibility
- The brain of the network that decides where traffic is sent and is centralized in SDN
- Application Plane
- Hosts all network applications that interact with the SDN controller
- Applications instruct the controller on network management
- Controller manipulates the network based on these instructions
- Data Plane (Forwarding Plane)
Example of SDN
- Google's B4 project
- Google uses SDN to manage its data center networks.
- The B4 project allows Google to control the flow of data across its network ensuring that bandwidth is used efficiently.
- AT&T's Domain 2.0 Initiative
- Aims to transform AT&Ts network into an SDN with a focus on reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
- By using SDN, AT&T can automate many of its network management tasks, reducing the need for manual intervention.