What is a programmable network (network programmability)?

A programmable network is one in which software that operates independently of network hardware handles the behavior of network devices and flow control. The fundamental nature of programmable networks is to separate the underlying physical hardware from the control software of a device.

Traditional networks vs. programmable networks

In traditional IT networks, physical hardware such as routers, switches and firewalls must be manually configured and individually managed. This requires a lot of human intervention and manual effort. IT teams can expend this if the network is small or the organization's networking needs are less complex. However, for large, complex networks, manual configurations and management can be time-consuming and extremely onerous for IT teams.

Another characteristic of traditional networks is that troubleshooting happens on a case-by-case basis. This makes it difficult to detect and diagnose issues affecting multiple devices. It also increases resolution times and network downtime. Visibility into network ...