Relationship between SDN and intention-Based Network (IBN), and sdn intention Network (ibn)

Relationship between SDN and intention-Based Network (IBN), and sdn intention Network (ibn)

Compared with SDN, the intention-Based Network (IBN) is somewhat immature. Although it is also a technology that changes the network industry, what is the relationship between the two? SDN and intention-based networks are similar. IBN can be seen as an extension of SDN concepts and further improve network automation and complexity, including reducing manual network configuration.

SDN was proposed ten years ago as a way to logically separate network hardware and software. It also provides network programmability, increases automation, and reduces costs. The concept of SDN has now become the mainstream of data centers and wide area network applications, and the application of software defined data centers (SDDC) and Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) has emerged respectively. It transfers the focus of Network Innovation to software rather than proprietary hardware. Although some leading ultra-large-scale cloud service providers have begun to deploy SDN to program their networks and significantly reduce costs, SDN has a limited role in automated network operations.

Evolution to intention-Based Network

According to Gartner's data, 75% of organizations still manage their networks through manual operations, and many organizations still use the original command line interface (CLI ). The intention-based network reduces network complexity and increases Automation by eliminating manual configuration. It allows users or administrators to send a short answer request to the physical network in natural language. For example, an IT administrator can request an IP Voice application to improve the voice quality and the network can respond to the application.

SDN and intention-based networks are interconnected, because the implementation of IBN may include the use of SDN controllers that can execute the required policies and intentions. In the current version of IBN, operations such as IP Address Setting and virtual LAN configuration can be performed automatically, network traffic can be analyzed to detect threats, and network problems can be solved, intention-based networks allow organizations to quickly deploy and expand Network Resources of new data centers.

In the future, the further development of IBN will be able to detect and automatically solve Network challenges, such as security exceptions and network congestion. Implementing open APIs in IBN enables more vendors to integrate and allows advanced users to program networks more easily.

SDN and intention-based network goals are both ambitious, but the implementation of IBN still faces several technical problems. Vendors represented by Cisco and Juniper have begun to develop towards IBN, openDaylight and other open-source projects are gradually adding IBN ideas to their SDN controllers. IT organizations are still facing the challenge of decision-making, that is, whether to establish their data centers, campus networks, or wide area networks on the basis of a vendor or cooperate with startups to implement physical networks.