What Is SDN?

Open Networking Foundation (ONF – launched in March 2011) quickly defined Software Defined Networking (SDN) as architecture with centralized control plane that controls multiple physically distinct devices.

That definition perfectly matched the needs of the ONF founding members (Google), but is it relevant to the networking community at large? Or does it make more sense to focus on network programmability and automation, or using existing protocols (BGP) in novel ways?

This section contains my introductory posts on the SDN-related topics, musings on what makes sense, and a few thoughts on career changes we might experience in the upcoming years. You’ll find more details in subsequent sections, including an overview of OpenFlow, in-depth analysis of OpenFlow-based architectures, some real-life OpenFlow and SDN deployments, and alternate approaches to SDN.

For even more details, watch the ipSpace.net SDN webinars, including:

• Introduction to Software Defined Networking
• OpenFlow Deep Dive
• SDN Architectures and Deployment Considerations
• SDN Use Cases

What Exactly Is SDN?

• How Did Software Defined Networking Start?
• What Exactly Is SDN (And Does It Make Sense)?
• Does Centralized Control Plane Make Sense?
• Benefits of SDN (or: SDN is like IPv6)

Tangential Thoughts

• We Had SDN in 1993 … and Didn’t Know It
• Still Waiting for the Stupid Network
• Is CLI In My Way … or Is It Just a Symptom of a Bigger Problem?
• OpenFlow and SDN – Do You Want to Build Your Own Racing Car?
• SDN, Windows and Fruity Alternatives
• SDN, Career Choices and Magic Graphs
• Response: SDN’s Casualties