Software Defined Networking
A technology that allows network and security professionals to manage, control, and make changes to a network.
SDN is basically a giant UI wrapper for the many different text-based configuration files scattered across the many services and machines that compose a network.
SDN Layers (Raw Lesson Content)
There are three of them.
| Layer |
Description |
| Application |
The Application layer communicates with the Controlcontrol layer through whatthe is"northbound calledinterface" or the "northbound interface. These are sometimes called northbound APIs.API" |
| Control |
The Control layer receives its requestsinstructions from the Applicationapplication layer and then providesdeploys the Physicalnecessary layerchanges withto itsthe configuration andfiles instructions.on the physical layer |
|
PhysicalPhysical/Infrastructure
|
Thewhere Physicalall layer,network alsoservices knownrest, aswhether physical or virtual. communicates with the Infrastructure layer, communicates to the Controlcontrol layer through the "southbound interface. The individual networking devices use southbound APIs to communicate with the control plane and vice versa. Even though this layer is called the Physical layer, it is where both physical and virtual network devices sit.API" |
Tradeoffs of SDN
You get:
- centralized management
- more granular, fine-tuned control
- lower costs and labor
- revive older hardware
- easily gather network statistics
- vendor crossplay
I get:
- very new technology
- lack of vendor support
- no definitive standard for the SDN technology
- centralized control = a new target for security breaches
