What Is Software-Defined Everything?
As noted by Deloitte, while cloud computing now tops the digital transformation list for many companies, SDx is “breaking virtualization’s final frontier” by offering definitive disruption that can deliver measurable benefits on demand. The challenge? The term itself — software-defined everything — is frustratingly general, offering little insight into what it means or how it benefits the bottom line.
At its most basic, SDx is the software abstraction of any IT function — storage, networking or access — which in turn creates consistent, virtualized infrastructure that can be applied at scale. Consider the most popular software-defined solution, SD-WAN. Instead of relying on proprietary hardware to supply key network functions, processes are programmatically controlled and automated in a virtualized environment that leverages commercial off-the-shelf equipment.
The result? Specific hardware is no longer required to deliver key network functions. Instead, all business users regardless of department or location can access the same network infrastructure, allowing companies to enhance traffic management, improve performance optimization and increase application visibility
SDx applies this concept to other applications in the IT stack to create virtualized, software-driven solutions that decouple services from physical stacks, allowing companies to create best-fit, interoperable environments.
Three Reasons for Businesses to Use SDx
Proprietary hardware naturally creates systemic solution silos — what works on one server or for one department isn’t always interoperable with others. As a result, IT teams often find themselves duplicating time and effort to manage similar stacks at scale.
SDx solves silo issues by offering three key advantages: