What describes an industry-standard API that is defined by the ONF?

OpenFlow is an industry-standard API defined by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and plays a crucial role in software-defined networking (SDN). It facilitates communication between the control plane and data plane of network devices, enabling network administrators to manage traffic flow dynamically. OpenFlow allows for more flexible and programmable networking, which is essential for modern network architectures that require scalability, automation, and agility.

The ONF was established to promote and standardize open interfaces for SDN, and OpenFlow has become a core component of this initiative. It specifically defines how a controller can instruct switches and routers to handle packets. This characteristic sets OpenFlow apart from other APIs, like REST or SOAP, which are more general-purpose and not necessarily focused on networking tasks.

REST APIs, SOAP APIs, and GraphQL APIs function well in various contexts but do not specifically address the unique requirements of SDN and the interaction between the control plane and data plane as OpenFlow does.