SDN involves separating the network control plane from the data plane, logically centralizing network intelligence and state. This allows network applications to directly interface with and control the underlying network infrastructure through open interfaces and APIs. SDN provides opportunities to apply business logic dynamically to network behavior and automate network service orchestration through open programmable interfaces. While SDN introduces some security risks if the controller is compromised, it also enables new security applications and the ability to scale security through a separate "service plane". SDN could help address some existing security issues and drawbacks in traditional network architectures.