Software-Defined Everything

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What Does Software-Defined Everything Mean?

Software-Defined Everything (SDE) refers to various systems controlled by advanced software programs and constructed in a virtual, versus physical, hardware space.

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Techopedia Explains Software-Defined Everything

SDE may be explained as several technologies under one umbrella. For example, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) involves the creation of virtualized networks, where physical hardware is replaced by a sophisticated software system. A Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) uses virtualization techniques to construct a data center. Software-Defined Storage (SDS) involves replacing a distributed hardware system with virtual storage systems.

SDE also is a comprehensive idea based on new applications of technology. SDE has been called the "next big thing," as SDE systems can be used to provide fully virtualized IT systems. With tools like hypervisors, virtual machines (VM) and virtual storage media, network pioneers move closer to the SDE concept as a basic physical hardware footprint.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.