Which term describes automating the coordination of tasks across multiple systems?

• A. Data Plane/Forwarding Plane
• B. Orchestration
• C. Open SDN
• D. Management Plane

Answer: (B)

Orchestration is automating the coordination of tasks across multiple systems. It uses a central controller or workflow engine to manage a sequence of actions across different components—servers, networks, storage, and applications—handling their order, dependencies, and state so a larger service or process completes reliably. This is more than running a single automation on one device; it ties together multiple tools and services into a cohesive workflow. For example, deploying a new application might involve provisioning compute resources, configuring networking, applying security policies, deploying code, and setting up monitoring, all coordinated by one orchestrator.

The other terms describe different ideas. The data plane is all about moving data through the network. The management plane covers interfaces operators use to manage devices. Open SDN refers to a networking architecture where the control plane is decoupled from the data plane and may be centralized, but it does not in itself define cross-system workflow automation.