A practical definition of “software-defined”

In the new millennium, the “software-defining” concept has entered information technologies, with increasing number of software-defined objects being involved as discussion subjects: networks, storages, servers, and finally entirely software-defined datacenters. However, despite the multiplying subjects and frequent reiteration of the set expression “software-defined,” its real meaning is not so easy to perceive. Moreover, a sufficiently widespread opinion considers the expression rather a marketing trick than a technical term. Actual encyclopedias do not suggest a clear commonly accepted definition of this phenomenon as well. In the article, an attempt is made to uncover the technical essence of “software-defined,” and to formulate for it a plain practical definition. Basing on unbiased analysis of peculiarities of datacenter infrastructure components declared as software-defined, a conclusion was drawn that “software-defined” may be regarded as a technical term and provided with a simple definition in conventional generally accepted notions.