An example method for facilitating software defined networking for storage area networks is provided and includes dividing a control plane of a storage area network (SAN) into a centralized network control plane and a plurality of decentralized control planes, configuring network-wide SAN applications in the centralized network control plane, and configuring switch-level SAN applications in the decentralized control planes. In a specific embodiment, the network-wide SAN applications include at least one selection from a group consisting of: name server, zone server, worldwide name-virtual SAN (VSAN) mapping, device aliases, link-state routing information, principal switch selection, domain manager, and virtual local area network-VSAN mapping.