What is SDN (Software-defined networking) ?? how will it affect the field of network ?? what you need to prepare as a network engineer??

Software-defined networking (SDN)

The main idea is simply like moving the network Devices (switches - routers -Multilayer switches) from work-group environment to domain environment to have a central point allow controlling and administrating by software and programming language using openFlow protocol for communication process which will cause reducing the IT (network administrators) coast , increasing flexibility and efficiency.

Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) is first product from cisco for SDN and sure cisco is updating routers and switches to support SDN (for example Cisco Nexus9000 Series Switches )

http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/trends/sdn/index.html

http://www.cisco.com/…/application-centric-infr…/index.html…

we need to study programming language like java or python which is recommended  to prepare because  using SDN will affect the network field specially the network Admins and engineers in the future .

Theses two courses (which you can find online) will be helpful to anyone venturing into SDNIntroduction to SDN & OpenFlowhttp://www.ine.com/.../tech.../introduction-sdn-openflow.htmIntroduction to Python Programming for Network Engineershttp://www.ine.com/.../techn.../introduction-programming.htm