Since 2020, aggregated from related topics
Software-defined networking (SDN) is an emerging technology that enables network administrators to manage network services through abstraction of lower-level functionality. This allows for more flexible and efficient network management, as well as the ability to control network resources dynamically in response to changing traffic patterns and demands. SDN separates the control plane (decision-making) from the data plane (packet forwarding) in network devices, allowing for centralized control of network resources and the ability to program network behavior through software applications. This enables network administrators to easily configure, reconfigure, and manage network devices without having to manually update configurations on each individual device. Overall, SDN aims to improve network scalability, flexibility, and programmability by virtualizing network infrastructure and providing a centralized way to manage and control network resources. It is becoming increasingly popular in enterprise networks, data centers, and cloud environments due to its ability to streamline network management and optimize network performance.