Big Switch network coverage application vs OpenFlow Switch

OpenFlow networks usually require an OpenFlow controller and a network switch vendor that supports OpenFlow. However, Big Switch Networks, a software-defined network vendor, can use its new network coverage technology to provide unlimited options for its OpenFlow controller customers, not limited to the above two conditions.

The new OpenFlow network coverage technology is part of the Big Virtual Switch network virtualization application test version of Big Switch. This allows enterprises to build software-defined networks on any underlying physical infrastructure, even if it is not an OpenFlow-friendly infrastructure.

Specifically, the network coverage technology uses the OpenFlow hypervisor virtual switch on the server access layer of the network to create a virtual network on the existing physical network, which can pass through the physical network.

Joe Skorupa, vice president of research at Gartner, said: "using server hosts allows you to maintain existing IP networks and easily have a coverage layer ." This means that customers can even build OpenFlow-based software-defined networks on Cisco or other devices that do not manufacture OpenFlow or SDN products.

"As long as the first or last hop of each packet is enabled in OpenFlow, we can use this technology to access the rest of the network, "You can get a lot of benefits from a software-defined network," said Kyle Forster, vice president of sales and marketing at Big Switch and co-founder of the company. You can place any virtual machine in any location, whether on a subnet or VLAN, and perform the same operation on the existing physical network ."

Many vendors have introduced tunneling protocols to achieve similar network virtualization. Nicira Networks developed stateless transport tunnels; Hypervisor vendors also launched their own tunnel protocols, such as VMware's VXLAN and Microsoft's NVGRE.

Big Switch's OpenFlow network coverage technology is designed to work with many of these tunneling protocols, allowing customers to have a hybrid network virtualization environment from a vendor.

"The control panel and tunnel protocols of competitors are closely integrated, so you must buy them from a vendor," Forster says. "But we use OpenFlow, so you can use any tunnel protocol you want, and we can be compatible with NVGRE and VXLAN."

What are the disadvantages of OpenFlow network coverage?

Forster pointed out that the introduction of network coverage technology to achieve network virtualization will increase the complexity of management. "You eventually need to manage two networks: the underlying physical network and the covered network," he said. "If a fault occurs, you need to check the two networks ."

Is the cost of managing two networks worthwhile? Forster indicates that this depends on the number of virtual machines supported by the network. Network virtualization becomes more and more important as the number of virtual machines increases.

"We talked to many early deployers who plan to deploy 2000 VMS on each rack next year," Forster said. "When you have 2000 VMS on each rack, many other things are coming soon. Virtual Machine networks are constantly moving between racks ." Skorupa said that network engineers may also be blocked by the data center system team.

"You have to load software to the server to use tunneling technology," he says. "For example, Nicira provides its own vSwitch, and some vendors allow network staff to access these servers, others do not. So some companies may say, 'I don't want to make the host more complex. '"

Network coverage: gradually migrate to the OpenFlow Network

The first resistance to deploying an OpenFlow-based software defined network is a general lack of switch vendors that support the commercial deployment of this technology. Second, the cost of installing these new switches is also a hindrance.

"Many people have seen our technology and said it can help me solve many problems, but I have many other restrictions," Forster said. I cannot replace my vswitch and vro, and then install a new OpenFlow device ."

With Big Switch's OpenFlow network coverage technology, network engineers can gradually migrate data. They can deploy network virtualization technology across the network, regardless of whether their components support OpenFlow. Over time, engineers can deploy OpenFlow switches in such an environment, and the Big Switch technology will adapt to this change. Big Switch only uses Tunneling Technology for non-OpenFlow switches. As the engineer team uses the OpenFlow Switch to update network components, the Big Switch technology reduces tunneling because they are no longer important.