1. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a request to modify a specified rule enforced by at least one network element of a software-defined networking (SDN)-enabled network, the specified rule governing disposition of a network flow specific to an application, wherein the request is received via a predefined communications channel configured to expose a predefined application programming interface (API) to the application; interpreting the request at a network abstraction layer of the at least one network element; converting the request into one or more commands at a service implementation layer of the at least one network element; and executing the one or more commands by operation of one or more computer processors, to modify the specified rule enforced by the at least one network element, responsive to the request.