Which component of the SDN architecture automatically ensures that application traffic is routed according to...

The SDN architecture separates the control plane from the data plane. In this model, the SDN controller is the central element responsible for:

Receiving application intent via northbound APIs

Translating intent into traffic policies

Communicating with infrastructure devices using southbound APIs

The SDN controller enforces policies such as path selection, QoS, and access control rules across the network fabric, ensuring traffic flows align with administrator-defined logic. Neither northbound nor southbound APIs enforce policy themselves; they serve as communication interfaces.

The packet forwarding engine (Option A) simply performs data-plane functions based on instructions, but does not interpret or apply policies.

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