Brief About What does The Future hold for Software Defined Networking (SDN)

    future of SDN

    Software-defined networking, commonly known as SDN, is an architectural approach towards making a network more programmable by separating the data plane from the control plane, making the control plane independent.

    SDN helps a user to monitor the network boosting the ability of the user to respond quickly.

    In 2018, SDN and NFV (network function virtualization) had a combined data of 3.1 Zettabytes within the data centers.

    Also, in 2017, the market revenue of SDN (globally) came out to be $4.1 Billion, and the revenue of SD-WAN was $327.1 Million.

    Let’s now look at the Architecture of Software Defined Network (SDN)

    1. Application:

    The NBI (known as northbound interface) helps in communicating the network resources and devices with the controller.

    2. Controller:

    Here, the controller helps in translating the requirements which are raised by the SDN application to the datapaths.

    3. Datapath:

    Datapaths are important as they are the one which helps in the movement of the data packets within the network.

    4. API:

    API, known as the application program interface is the program that helps in providing open communication between the routers present in a network and the controllers.

    Importance of Software Defined Networking (SDN)

    1. Network infrastructure can be customized

    The administrators can do this by configuring and allocating virtual resources from a centralized location within a network.

    2. Secure:

    SDN is highly secured and allows users to get a holistic view of the whole network, letting them know about the threats present in the network.

    Moreover, it helps the developer to segregate the devices as per the need for security and can quarantine the affected devices also.

    3. Control:

    The admin has full control over the flow of the traffic within a network. The admin can make the much-needed changes within a network as per the requirement.

    4. Highly flexible and faster:

    The administrator can deploy applications with the help of open APIs. Also, the integration of third party products is possible.

    5. Building programmable networks:

    The application configuration can be done automatically by programming, and the admin can eliminate the old manual configuration for programming the network.

    Future Aspects of SDN

    Forming the basis for 5G

    For many years, we have seen the telecom industry changing rapidly. With the evolvement of 4G technology, there was still a need for a more agile, speedier, and flexible network, which makes the base of the 5G technology.

    5G technology has not been fully exploited yet, and it will play a vital role in the future. In the future, 5G is sure to rely on SDN.

    This move will make 5G and open-source networks a hot combo in the whole telecom industry worldwide.

    Today, Wi-Fi is the most common thing we use to connect with each other, whether it is for personal use or for business purposes.

    5G will help businesses in solving the connectivity issue and also providing a secure platform for businesses.

    Providing lower latency and a competitive price, 5G technology, and SDN, in combination will help to improve customer experience across many platforms.

    In the Manufacturing Sector

    Networking is the backbone of any company nowadays. In the manufacturing sector, there’s a need for connecting each and every supplier, manufacturer, and distributor with each other so as to continue the smooth operations in coordination.

    For this, the manufacturing plant should be connected with the headquarter and the plant itself should be equipped with sensors, IoT devices, and other devices.

    5G connectivity will even resolve the problem of connecting sensors in manufacturing plants.

    Challenges

    SDN is still in its early stage as very few people are trained about it. It will gain even more popularity as more and more workforce gets trained about it.

    Being one of the technologies to be designed for networking control, the future of SDN lies in the current situation of it.

    SDN is still an emerging technology, and it has to overcome the challenges so that it doesn’t get hacked by someone.

    Some more things to know about the future of SDN

    Many companies are now moving to the cloud. SDN will help the companies to enable virtualization of their networking infrastructure.

    Moreover, it is known for its ability to easily shift to cloud technology.

    As of now, SD-WAN is on the rise as the network here used covers a wide area. This will decrease the cost of operation in a wide area with centralized control.

    SDN is also automated, which means you have to feed instructions, and other things will work accordingly. This will make it easier for administrators to monitor the network.

    Every company that has its own network should be keeping an eye on the future trends of SDN, as this will benefit them directly.

    The presence of SDN in the coming future will enhance a company’s productivity and security without compromising on the operating cost.

    It is an open-source technology but need not worry as SDN has its network monitoring system which is centralized.

    In the coming future, SDN will become a technology that will be more responsive, fully automated, and highly secure.

    In the near future, you may also get to know about software-defined mobile networking (SDMN), which will make the mobile network controllable from a software.

    Also, it is estimated that the global SDN market will grow up to $61 Billion by 2023 at a whopping CAGR of around 40%.

    Conclusion

    As more and more companies continue to move closer towards the digitized states, the need for a secured and cheaper network will make the shift towards SDN in the coming future.

    By using SDN technology, an enterprise can solve traditional networking challenges like latency problems, bottlenecks, and geo-boundaries, thus creating a more responsive network strategy.

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