What responsibility does the Data Plane have in an SD-WAN architecture?

In an SD-WAN architecture, the Data Plane is primarily responsible for forwarding traffic. This means that it handles the actual data packets as they travel across the network, ensuring they reach their intended destinations efficiently. The Data Plane's role is crucial because it directly influences the performance and reliability of the network by managing the flow of data in real time.

The Data Plane operates independently from the Control Plane and Management Plane. While the Control Plane is responsible for making decisions about where traffic should go (such as establishing routes and managing network policies), and the Management Plane deals with the configuration and monitoring of the network devices, the Data Plane focuses solely on the transmission of user data packets across the network.

In summary, if you're considering the fundamental function of the Data Plane in an SD-WAN architecture, it's to ensure that traffic is forwarded effectively and efficiently, guaranteeing that user applications and services function correctly over the network.