What is SDN/NFV?

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) separates the network's control plane from the data plane, allowing network administrators to programmatically configure network behavior. This enables centralized management and automation of network resources, improving flexibility and agility. Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) virtualizes network functions, such as firewalls and load balancers, which were traditionally implemented in dedicated hardware. By running these functions as software on standard servers, NFV reduces hardware costs, improves scalability, and enables faster deployment of new services. SDN and NFV are often used together to create more flexible and efficient networks.