What Does Data Plane Mean?

The data plane is a part of a network through which user packets are transmitted. It is a theoretical term used to conceptualize the flow of data packets through a network infrastructure. It is often included in diagrams and illustrations to give a visual representation of user traffic.

Techopedia Explains Data Plane

In networking architecture, it is standard practice to separate the information that users send from the information required to process the data. The data plane is commonly contrasted to the control plane, which carries information about the network itself. In the context of telecommunications, the word “plane” means an area of operations, and it is used to distinguish between the traffic flows.