The key to Hybrid Cloud: SDN and Virtual networks

If the OpenStack summit this week brings some kind of warning, virtual networks are a hot topic for it.

Representatives from HP, Big Switch and Midokura participated in a http://www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/18519.html "> Panel discussion on virtual networks in the cloud." The ebay and Nicira engineers talked about their implementation of the Software Definition Network (SDN) in a larger conference room without a seat.

More than 1400 people attended this year's exhibition. This topic seems to have many reasons to attract these people's interest.

The latest release of OpenStack (Folsom) First has a network component named "Quantum" as the code for a core project.

However, these discussions not only talked about Quantum, but also focused more on the idea that the next generation of networks would be an important component of cloud computing.

' To get the flexibility in the cloud, you need the flexibility of the network, ' Boris Resky Boris Renski, co-founder of Mirantis Corp. This company helps companies deploy OpenStack-driven cloud

Mike Cohen, the big Switch NX, admits that SDN and virtual networking technologies are still at an early stage. So far, SDN's early adopters have been interested in this technology for two reasons: first, it can improve the efficiency of the data Center and network environment by abstracting the core network functionality from the underlying hardware to virtualize the network. This is the same as the efficiency of server virtualization to improve computing. Second, SDN allows the network to be scalable through programming, providing greater flexibility in controlling the network.

Service providers are looking to provide scalability for their virtual LANs to create more network segments and a more secure multi-tenant environment. These features have so far been attractive to these service providers. These features are also attractive to large enterprises that need to extend different infrastructures but do not want to use the same structure.

For users, the ability to control multiple different Web sites under the same network control has opened a key commitment to cloud computing: the flexibility to add or reduce applications between the Gavin Pratt private cloud and the public cloud of the service provider, Gavin Pratt, the HP Cloud service, said. Create a mixed cloud. An abstract network can more easily achieve this goal. This is necessary for companies that really use cloud computing.

In the long run, even if cloud computing continues to prevail, many companies are not at ease with all their work in the public cloud. They will still have applications that are deployed internally. SDN allows users to manage these networks through a unified framework. The point is that you need the public cloud to connect with the private cloud to provide a resilient capability. Being able to do this thing within the same network is a huge business opportunity.

SDN is also an opportunity to actually improve network security. The SDN controller has a global view of the network. The combination of this comprehensive view and network intelligence technologies at the edge of the web will provide new opportunities for this controller to monitor the entire system and implement security policies.

Despite this potential, the group members who participated in the SDN discussion agreed that market applications have so far been slow. It will take 3-5 years for SDN to become a common network framework.

However, with the application of SDN, this technology will continue to improve. Cohen says he expects to see a future development that is SDN controller controlled by a high level of network functionality. For example, the 3-to 7-layer feature has not been integrated as a virtual network of 2-and 3-tier features, at least in OpenStack. (Compiled/Populus euphratica)

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)