Controller

A controller is a central management unit that administers, configures and monitors subordinate components. In networking, a wireless LAN controller centrally manages multiple access points, distributes configurations, regulates channels and transmit power, and controls roaming between radio cells. In software defined networking, an SDN controller separates the control plane from the data plane and centrally distributes forwarding rules to switches and routers. In servers and storage systems, the term describes hardware components such as RAID controllers, storage controllers or network controllers that organise access to drives and interfaces. Their common characteristic is the consolidation of control tasks in a single place. For IT operations, this reduces configuration effort, ensures consistent settings and simplifies monitoring and troubleshooting.