What is Software Defined Networking?
SDN is the long-awaited answer to the problems posed by complex and expensive networking environments. With a traditional network, each element – like a core switch or router – has to be configured manually to do a certain task, which takes time and means relying on IT specialists.
With SDN, the network is configured centrally, which means changes can be automated and made quickly, in response to new business and application demands. We’re already seeing how SDN technology is enabling new solutions.
For example, SD-WAN is an ‘overlay’ virtual solution that’s placed on top of your existing WAN or IP-VPN (your ‘underlay’ network). This brings intelligence to your network, giving you visibility and control of your network traffic, while providing a lower-cost alternative to Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) networking.
What is Network Function Virtualisation (NFV)?
Just like we can virtualise apps in the cloud, we can now virtualise network functions to add new capabilities when we need them – and remove them when we don’t. This is NFV.
For example, you can deploy a virtual firewall automatically if you detect a security threat, then remove it once the threat is thwarted. This way, you can update your security rules on an as-needed basis, rather than planning for the worst-case scenario – which saves costs and helps optimise network performance.
