What process helps check the hardware and software along with distribution facets like SDN control planes?

The process that effectively checks the hardware and software components, along with the distribution facets such as software-defined networking (SDN) control planes, is network monitoring. This continuous practice involves observing, analyzing, and managing the performance and functioning of a network.

Network monitoring tools collect data regarding the network’s health, traffic patterns, and overall performance, allowing administrators to identify potential issues in real-time. By actively monitoring various elements within a network—including hardware devices like routers and switches, as well as software components like network management frameworks—it becomes possible to ensure the efficient distribution and functioning of services across the network.

In the context of SDN, network monitoring is crucial because the control plane manages traffic flows and allows for centralized control of the network infrastructure. Monitoring these aspects ensures that configurations remain optimal, that there are no bottlenecks or failures, and that security policies are enforced effectively.

This differentiates network monitoring from the other processes mentioned, such as data aggregation—focused on compiling and consolidating data from various sources, vulnerability assessment—which aims to identify security weaknesses, and incident response—centered on reacting to and managing incidents after they occur. Each of these plays a unique role in network management and security but does not specifically encompass the ongoing checks of