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This dissertation explored cybersecurity professionals' perspectives on integrating Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and container technologies to enhance network security and prevent unauthorized access. With organizations increasingly relying on virtualized infrastructures, understanding the implementation challenges, benefits, and best practices of SDN-container integration is crucial for developing effective security frameworks. The research addressed the question: What are cybersecurity professionals' perspectives on integrating SDN and container technology to decrease unauthorized network access to secure network data? Supporting questions examined perceptions of SDN-container integration and views on the usefulness and ease of use of unauthorized access prevention measures. The study employed a generic qualitative inquiry methodology using semi-structured interviews with ten cybersecurity professionals from small to medium-sized enterprises (100-500 employees) across financial services, healthcare, government contracting, and technology sectors, with experience levels ranging from 5 to 40 years. Manual thematic data analysis was conducted, then checked against analysis by NVivo 14 software to identify key patterns and themes. The findings revealed significant security improvements through SDN-container integration, with organizations reporting the elimination of data leaks and reduced security check times from 25 to 3-4 hours weekly. While participants reported enhanced security through granular access control and improved efficiency, they faced challenges, including integration complexity, resource constraints, and skill gaps. The research provides practical implications for organizations implementing SDN-container security integration, highlighting the importance of organizational context, resource capabilities, and implementation approach in achieving successful outcomes.