Software Defined Networking - Computerphile | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Software Defined Networking is a way to give control of network configuration to programmers, allowing for more explicit and customizable management of network traffic.

Key Insights

• 🎮 SDN moves control of network configuration from routers and switches to software running on switches and a centralized controller.
• 🎮 The OpenFlow protocol is commonly used in SDN to communicate between the controller and switches.
• 👻 SDN allows for explicit rules and actions to be defined for network traffic, providing more precise control over network configuration.
• 😫 Complex rule sets and the ability to rewrite packet header fields are possible with SDN.
• 😃 SDN has been a topic of research interest since at least the 1990s, with Google being one of its biggest adopters.
• 🚥 SDN offers the potential for more efficient management of network traffic compared to traditional networking.
• 👻 SDN can be used to address security concerns, as it allows for more explicit control over network access and traffic.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the difference between traditional networking and software defined networking?

Traditional networking relies on routing protocols running on routers and switches to manage network configuration, while SDN uses software running on switches and a centralized controller for more explicit control.

Q: How does SDN handle network configuration?

In SDN, a controller connects to software running on each switch and controls the switches using the OpenFlow protocol. The controller can define specific rules and actions for incoming packets.

Q: What are the benefits of SDN over traditional networking?

SDN provides more explicit control over network configuration, allowing for precise management of traffic. It also allows for complex rule sets and the ability to rewrite certain fields in packet headers.

Q: Who uses SDN in their network infrastructure?

One notable example of SDN deployment is Google, who uses it to manage their global network more efficiently than traditional protocols.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Software Defined Networking (SDN) aims to move from distributed control to more substantial centralized control of network configuration.

• In traditional networking, routers and switches run routing protocols to determine network state and route packets accordingly. SDN replaces this with software running on each switch and a centralized controller.

• The controller communicates with the switches using a protocol called OpenFlow, allowing for explicit rules and actions to be defined for network traffic.