12 issues to be noted in selecting SDN

The Software Definition Network (SDN) offers great opportunities and challenges to the IT people of the enterprise. SDN has a desire to make the network more flexible, shorten the time to configure the network, improve service quality, reduce operating costs, and make the network more secure.

For IT people, Sdn's challenge is to choose the right SDN solution for the right technology use case at the right time. Here are 12 tips for enterprise IT managers that can be used to evaluate SDN products from different SDN vendors.

1 What Benefits SDN technology will bring to the enterprise, there must be a clear vision, including how it will affect the legacy network infrastructure. How to plan SDN will have a long-term impact on the overall network of the enterprise.

2 SDN is still at a very early stage-markets, standards and technology are still to be matured. Therefore it purchasers must be tested and carefully evaluated before selecting a particular SDN architecture.

3 Assess the impact of SDN on the IT department. Does SDN provide opportunities to create cross-functional teams, such as servers, storage, and networking, to address data center or cloud network requirements?

4 Consider the challenges of SDN implementation. Many of today's SDN solutions are imperfect or require a lot of customization. Who can help you implement SDN (channel or professional service team)? Does the enterprise's IT department have ready-made SDN skills available, or does it require additional training?

5 to determine a specific initial use case for Sdn. For example, the use case could be to shorten the time required to configure network security for a new (or migrated) virtual machine, or to improve the quality of service on a corporate wan, such as from a data center to a data center.

6 Consider the possible impact of SDN on operating costs. Do you have a strong management tool for the SDN solution you are considering? Can you simplify installation and reduce subsequent management costs?

7 support for legacy networks. Does the SDN solution well support the legacy Ethernet switches and routers that are installed by the enterprise? What is the migration plan to SDN?

8 Consider SDN from the point of view of business value. Can a specific SDN product reduce costs or improve it operational efficiency? SDN is not just a technical problem.

9) security. Improving network security is a key potential advantage of SDN. Can the SDN solution you consider improve security, or can it handle additional security challenges?

10 Standard support. Can SDN support a wide range of industry standards, which refer to both network standards (such as openflow) and it standards (such as server virtualization products)?

11) 4-7 layer support. The new SDN architecture should leverage a variety of network features on the 4-7 tier, including server load balancing and WAN optimization products.

12 Application of ecological chain. SDN creates an open environment for new applications. So a broad application ecosystem that leverages management, security, and 4-7-tier applications is critical to the long-term success of SDN deployments.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)