are built on proprietary hardware and software. Network Operators & Information Technology (NOIT) can only configure the proprietary network infrastructure provided by vendors and are unable to add new and customized features or capabilities. As a result, the NOIT can only add new desired features by making such requests to their infrastructure vendors or pursuing standardization processes.

But these existing approaches are time consuming and resource intensive.
The distributed software defined network disclosed in the patents is an architecture that enables secure and flexible programmability across a network with full lifecycle management of services and infrastructure applications. The distributed software defined network also harmonizes application deployment across the network independent of the hardware vendor.

As a result, the distributed software defined network simplifies the network deployment lifecycle from concept to design to implementation to decommissioning.