network virtualization with vmware nsx

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Network Virtualization with VMware NSX

Scott Lowe, VCDXEngineering ArchitectNetworking & Security BU, VMware, Inc.http://blog.scottlowe.org

Before we get started

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Your name is familiar...

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Compute Virtualization

Networking can be a barrier to thesoftware-defined data center

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Software Defined Data Center

SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATACENTER SERVICES

VDC § Provisioning is slow§ Placement is limited§ Mobility is limited§ Hardware dependent§ Operationally intensive

Any PhysicalInfrastructure

How can we solve this challenge?

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Many technologies are claiming to be able to address this challenge

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Merchant silicon

OpenFlow

Northbound APIs

Open vSwitch

Network overlays

SDN

SDN controllers

OpenStack Networking

Fabrics

STT

VXLAN

NVGRE

SR-IOV

TRILL

LISP

By themselves, these technologies don’t change the operational model.

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To change the operational model, what’s needed is the right abstraction.

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Let’s look at compute virtualization

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§Multiple forms of virtualization existed in x86-based computing before VMware§ 80386 “protected mode”§ Virtual memory§ Application virtual machines (e.g., JVM)§ Remote presentation (X Window System)

§These were all important developments, but...

None of them had the power to change the operational model.

Along comes VMware and the VM

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§VMware introduced a new abstraction: the virtual machine (VM)

Why is the VM important?

§The VM abstraction encompassed other virtualization technologies, but enabled operational change

§Operational change enabled customers to address pain points (speed of provisioning, for example)§ Now users could easily create VMs, destroy VMs, clone

VMs, start/stop/pause VMs§ VMs encouraged more standardized configurations§ VMs could be deployed programmatically, which enables

self-service tools and methodologies§Success encouraged adoption; adoption encouraged ecosystem development (positive feedback loop)

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So what does this have to do with network virtualization?

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What’s needed is the right abstraction

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§The right abstraction—the virtual network—lets us change the operational model

§Changing the operational model brings benefits:§ Greater speed and agility§ Lower operational overhead§ Decreased capital expenditures§ But...it’s really about greater speed & agility

What is a virtual network?

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Server Hypervisor Requirement: x86

Virtual Machine

Virtual Machine

Virtual Machine

Application Application Application

x86 Environment

Decoupled

Hardware

Software

Network Hypervisor Requirement: IP Transport

Virtual Network

Virtual Network

Virtual Network

Workload Workload Workload

L2, L3, L4-7 Network Services

General Purpose Server Hardware(Dell, HP, IBM, OpenCompute, Quanta)

General Purpose IP Hardware(Arista, Cisco, HP, Juniper, Accton)

Networks aren’t just about connectivity

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§A virtual network must be more than just connectivity§ It has to also provide virtual network services:

§ Routing§ Firewalling§ Load balancing§ VPNs

§ It has to be extensible, allowing technology partners to “plug into” the virtual network to bring additional services and functionality to bear for customers

Key functions of a virtual network

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1. Decouples

Physical

Virtual

2. Reproduces 3. Automates

Network Operations

Cloud Operations

Hardware independence

Operational benefits of virtualization

No change to network from end host perspective

Virtual

Physical

VMware NSX provides the right abstraction—the virtual network—to

enable operational change that addresses pain points and meets

business needs.

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Compute Virtualization

Networking can be a barrier to thesoftware-defined data center

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Software Defined Data Center

SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATACENTER SERVICES

VDC § Provisioning is slow§ Placement is limited§ Mobility is limited§ Hardware dependent§ Operationally intensive

Any PhysicalInfrastructure

Network virtualization addresses this challenge

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Software Defined Data Center

SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATACENTER SERVICES

VDC

Compute VirtualizationNetwork Virtualization

§ Programmatic provisioning§ Place any workload anywhere§ Move any workload anywhere§ Decoupled from hardware§ Operationally efficient

Any PhysicalInfrastructure

Looking a bit deeper at VMware NSX

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Some technologies you might find helpful

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§Linux§Open vSwitch (OVS)§OpenFlow§OVSDB§Cloud management systems

§ vCloud Automation Center (vCAC)§ OpenStack§ CloudStack

Questions & answers

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Scott Loweslowe@vmware.com

Thank you

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