Which component of Cisco SD-WAN is responsible for managing the control plane?

The component responsible for managing the control plane in Cisco SD-WAN is the vSmart controller. The vSmart controllers are the central entities that manage the distribution of information about network paths, topology, and security policies throughout the SD-WAN. They facilitate secure communication between the devices in the network by establishing and maintaining control plane connections.

In the role of control plane management, the vSmart controllers handle tasks such as maintaining routing information and providing the necessary configurations to the vEdge routers, which are the data plane components. This separation of control and data planes helps to optimize performance and security in the network.

Understanding this functionality is critical because it distinguishes between the various components in the Cisco SD-WAN architecture. While other components like vManage focus on network management and monitoring, and vBond assists in the initial establishment of secure connections between devices, it is the vSmart controllers that fundamentally manage the control plane, ensuring efficient communication and policy enforcement across the entire SD-WAN infrastructure.