Network Virtualization with VMware NSX

Scott Lowe, VCDX

Engineering Architect
Networking & Security BU, VMware, Inc.
http://blog.scottlowe.org
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Before we get started

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Your name is familiar...

Networking can be a barrier to the

software-defined data center
Software Defined Data Center
VDC

SOFTWARE-DEFINED
DATACENTER SERVICES

Provisioning

is slow
Placement is limited
Mobility is limited
Hardware dependent
Operationally intensive

Compute Virtualization

Any Physical
Infrastructure

How can we solve this challenge?

Many technologies are claiming to be

able to address this challenge
SR-IOV

Open vSwitch

SDN controllers

STT
Network overlays
LISP

VXLAN

TRILL
Merchant silicon

SDN
OpenFlow

Fabrics
NVGRE

OpenStack Networking
Northbound APIs

By themselves, these technologies

dont change the operational model.

To change the operational model,

whats needed is the right abstraction.

Lets look at compute virtualization

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

VMware

introduced a new abstraction: the virtual

machine (VM)

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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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Whats needed is the right abstraction

The

right abstractionthe virtual networklets us

change the operational model
Changing the operational model brings benefits:
Greater speed and agility
Lower operational overhead
Decreased capital expenditures
But...its really about greater speed & agility

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What is a virtual network?

Application

Application

Workload

Application

Workload

Workload

L2, L3, L4-7 Network Services

x86 Environment
Software
Virtual
Machine

Virtual
Machine

Virtual
Machine

Server Hypervisor

Virtual
Network

Decoupled

Requirement: x86

Virtual
Network

Virtual
Network

Network Hypervisor
Requirement: IP Transport

Hardware

General Purpose Server Hardware

(Dell, HP, IBM, OpenCompute, Quanta)

General Purpose IP Hardware

(Arista, Cisco, HP, Juniper, Accton)

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Networks arent just about connectivity

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

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Key functions of a virtual network

Virtual

Virtual

Network
Operations

1. Decouples

2. Reproduces

3. Automates

Physical
Hardware
independence

Physical
No change to network
from end host perspective

Cloud
Operations
Operational benefits
of virtualization

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VMware NSX provides the right

abstractionthe virtual networkto
enable operational change that
addresses pain points and meets
business needs.

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Networking can be a barrier to the

software-defined data center
Software Defined Data Center
VDC

SOFTWARE-DEFINED
DATACENTER SERVICES

Provisioning

is slow
Placement is limited
Mobility is limited
Hardware dependent
Operationally intensive

Compute Virtualization

Any Physical
Infrastructure

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Network virtualization addresses this

challenge
Software Defined Data Center
VDC

SOFTWARE-DEFINED
DATACENTER SERVICES

Programmatic

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

Network Virtualization
Compute Virtualization

Any Physical
Infrastructure

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Looking a bit deeper at VMware NSX

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Some technologies you might find

helpful
Linux
Open

vSwitch (OVS)
OpenFlow
OVSDB
Cloud management systems
vCloud Automation Center (vCAC)
OpenStack
CloudStack

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Questions & answers

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Thank you
Scott Lowe
slowe@vmware.com

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