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Networking Advanced

What is SDN (Software-Defined Networking)?

An approach that separates the network control plane from the data plane, enabling centralized, programmable network management.

SDN decouples the decision-making logic (control plane) from the packet forwarding hardware (data plane). A centralized controller programs network devices via APIs, replacing manual device-by-device configuration.

Benefits include network automation, dynamic traffic engineering, easier policy management, and multi-vendor interoperability. OpenFlow is the most common SDN protocol. Cloud providers use SDN extensively for virtual networking (VPC, security groups, load balancers).

Related Terms

Reverse Proxy
A server that sits between clients and backend servers, forwarding client requests and returning server responses on their behalf.
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
A protocol for monitoring and managing network devices like routers, switches, servers, and printers remotely.
Latency
The time delay between sending a request and receiving a response, measured in milliseconds.
TCP/IP
The fundamental communication protocol suite of the internet that defines how data is packaged, addressed, transmitted, and received.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, securing internet traffic.
Firewall
A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined rules.
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