A software-defined system refers to an infrastructure where the functionality and behavior of hardware resources are controlled and managed through software, rather than being defined by the hardware itself. This approach allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and automation in managing and provisioning resources across networks, data centers, and other IT environments.
SDN, or Software-Defined Networking, simplifies network management by separating the control plane (which decides where traffic is sent) from the data plane (which forwards traffic to the selected destination). This separation enables centralized control and programmability of the network through software, allowing administrators to dynamically manage network traffic flows and optimize performance.
SDA (Software-Defined Access) and SDN (Software-Defined Networking) are related concepts but focus on different aspects of network management. SDA extends the principles of SDN to network access control, allowing organizations to centrally manage and enforce policies for user access and device connectivity across wired and wireless networks through software-defined policies and automation.
SDN is needed to address the increasing complexity and demands placed on modern networks. Traditional networking methods are often rigid and challenging to scale, configure, and manage efficiently, especially in dynamic environments. SDN provides agility, scalability, and automation by centralizing control, simplifying network management tasks, optimizing resource utilization, and enabling rapid deployment of new services and applications.
SDN is utilized by a variety of organizations and industries, including telecommunications providers, large enterprises, cloud service providers, and data centers. These entities leverage SDN to streamline network operations, improve scalability, enhance security through policy enforcement, reduce operational costs, and support innovative network services and applications that require flexible and dynamic network configurations.