What describes east-west data flow in network architecture?

East-west data flow refers to the movement of data within a network, specifically between different internal systems or services. This lateral movement is crucial in modern network architecture, particularly with the rise of cloud computing and microservices, where different applications and services often need to communicate with one another within the same environment.

In this context, understanding east-west traffic is essential for implementing effective security measures, as threats can originate from within the network itself. Therefore, monitoring this data flow helps in identifying insider threats and ensuring that data integrity is maintained.

The other options describe different types of data flow. Data moving from outside to inside refers to north-south traffic, which involves external communications entering the network. Data leaving a data center to an external site again indicates north-south traffic, focused on data egress. Lastly, data being processed in a centralized server does not illustrate the concept of lateral movement across the network. These distinctions help clarify the critical role that east-west data flow plays.