Have you ever heard of SDN (software defined network)?
Also known as “software defined networking”, this trend is gaining more and more ground in the context of digital transformation and new technological resources.
Taking the relevance of the subject into account, we have developed this article to explain it. By reading this article, you will understand what SDN consists of, when it appeared, and what advantages it can bring to your company.
What is software defined networking and what are its origins?
SDN is simply a method of designing the architecture of networks between computers. The main difference from traditional models is that SDN allows the network to be centrally controlled, using software applications. In practice, this helps the operator manage the entire network with greater consistency, regardless of the underlying technology used.
As its name suggests, SDN uses software rather than specialized devices to manage network services and applications. As well as giving systems greater mobility, it makes it possible to provide scalable applications, made on demand.
With it, mesh provisioning doesn’t come up against hardware limitations. Since the system is centralized, intelligent monitoring is performed to adapt it automatically according to conditions. In short, it’s a way of digitizing the network.
SDN arose from the need to automate, scale and optimize networks to handle better applications from the public cloud, private storage services and databases. In other words, it was developed to keep pace with the changes that service providers and operators have undergone in recent years.
After all, the huge growth in multimedia content and the impact of devices such as tablets and smartphones have generated a demand that the old business models were unable to meet. In this rich scenario of transformation, it has emerged as a solution capable of changing the foundations of network design and operations.
In the next topic, we’ll explain the greatest benefits SDN can bring to your company.
What are the main benefits of an SDN?
Check out the main advantages that software-defined networking brings to an organization.
Cost savings
Because SDN keeps traffic flowing smoothly and helps with almost instant problem solving, the IT (Information Technology) department is likely to see cost savings in no time.
Tailor-made hardware, for example, tends to be a rather large investment. By blocking out limitations and allowing costs to be proportional to consumption, SDN tends to generate savings in the long term. It also helps to improve the quality of the services and/or products offered by the organization to the end-consumer.
In addition, you can centralize:
- Monitoring
- Configuration
- Management
- Distribution of services;
- Control
- Cloud automation.
If we take into account the trends aligned with the new future, in which centralization will have even more space and effectiveness, this type of network can provide incredible operational gains.
The good news is that implementing software-defined networks doesn’t even require large investments. In fact, it’s worth noting that some features are available free of charge or already integrated into the operating system responsible.
Control over traffic
Through the software-defined networks management console, you can establish rules on how traffic will be handled. In this way, you can improve the overall delivery of content, guaranteeing a pleasant browsing experience for users.
It also makes it possible for network behavior to be controlled by software located beyond the devices that provide physical connectivity. The most obvious result of this is that operators can adjust the behavior of their SDNs to better support new services, which also extends to individual customers.
Therefore, by decoupling software from hardware, it is perfectly feasible to present innovative services with agility, without the restrictions we usually see in closed platforms.
Smarter networks
A network of this type helps responsible employees or service providers create solutions to reduce downtime. Thus, there is no obstacle to making the best recovery planning. To deal with extreme cases, this is necessary.
Resource management, as mentioned throughout the article, can also be done more intelligently. In an SDN, devices work autonomously, with limited recognition of the state of the network.
From this, control, restoration, security and bandwidth policies can be optimized. The company gains a complete overview of the network and chooses how to use it according to its needs.
When to choose an SDN and why?
Never forget that, more than a technology, SDN is a broad concept. Just like cloud computing and some tools based on Artificial Intelligence, it has emerged as a response to adapt to other changes.
As if the advantages listed in this text weren’t enough, a software defined network considerably improves the response time to user requests. Over time, they tend to become more numerous and qualified, requiring complex systems capable of keeping up with them – such as SDNs.
Your organization should choose a good SDN when it feels the need to control network computing with a well-defined programming interface. This is no coincidence, as it acts as a bridge between applications, networks and hardware. In this way, it is also useful for ensuring a company’s competitiveness.
As research progresses in this direction, it becomes even clearer how SDNs will be decisive for anyone who wants to transmit content in any way. So don’t forget the customer and always think about offering them the best. SDN is an evolution in line with new technologies, and it is essential to know it thoroughly before implementing it in your business.
Now that you know what a software defined network is, get in touch with us. We can help your company grow!
