Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- Why SDN? -- Genesis of SDN -- How SDN works -- The openflow specification -- Alternative definitions of SDN -- Emerging protocol, controller, and application models -- SDN in data center -- SDN in other environments -- Network functions virtualization -- Players in the SDN ecosystem -- SDN applications -- SDN open source -- Business ramifications -- SDN futures.

This book provides in-depth coverage of the technologies collectively known as Software Defined Networking (SDN). The book shows how to explain to business decision-makers the benefits and risks in shifting parts of a network to the SDN model, when to integrate SDN technologies in a network, and how to develop or acquire SDN applications. It also emphasizes the parts of the technology that encourage opening up the network, providing treatment for alternative approaches to SDN that expand the definition of SDN as networking vendors adopt traits of SDN to their existing solutions.