New Training: Describe Cisco SD-WAN Architecture and Principles

In this 9-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Jeff Kish walks you through the Cisco SD-WAN architecture, including the primary components of vManage, vSmart, vBond, vEdge, and cEdge. Watch this new Cisco training.

Watch the full course: Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks

This training includes:

• 9 videos

• 53 minutes of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Intro

• Cisco SD-WAN Architecture

• The SD-WAN Data Plane

• The SD-WAN Control Plane

• The SD-WAN Management Plane

• The Orchestration Plane

• VPNs, Colors, and TLOCs

• Features and Benefits

• Review and Quiz

What is the Management Plane?

The software-defined network is comprised of different logical planes. These planes are analogous to the Networking OSI model. One of those planes is called the management plane.

The management plane is used to configure, monitor, and manage the software-defined network. It's through the management plane that the data and control planes are able to perform their functions. The management plane is what network administrators will work with most within the networking environment.

Because so much of the management plane controls how the rest of the network operates, and that plane is typically remotely managed, it is very important to secure the management plane. This can be done through a variety of mechanisms such as password protection, role-based protection, ACLs, and VLAN controls.

It's important to note that the Cisco iOS includes further protections for the management plane. For full detail on the extra protections Cisco provides, read the Management Plane Protection article in Cisco's knowledge base.