Network virtualization platform: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Virtualisation of networking devices}}

{{orphanno footnotes|date=AugustMay 2013}}

A '''Anetwork Networkvirtualization Virtualization Platformplatform''' decouples the hardware plane from the software plane such that the host hardware plane can be administratively programedprogrammed to assign its resources to the software plane. This allows for the [[virtualization]] of CPU, Memorymemory, Diskdisk and most importantly Networknetwork IO. Upon such virtualization of hardware resources, the platform can accommodate multiple virtual network applications such as Firewallsfirewalls, Routersrouters, Web Filtersfilters, and Intrusionintrusion Preventionprevention Systemssystems, all functioning much like standalone hardware appliances, but contained within a single hardware appliance. The key benefit to such technology is doing all of this while maintaining the network performance typically seen with that of stand alonestandalone network appliances as well as enabling the ability to administratively or dynamically program resources at will.

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'''A Network Virtualization Platform''' decouples the hardware plane from the software plane such that the host hardware plane can be administratively programed to assign its resources to the software plane. This allows for the virtualization of CPU, Memory, Disk and most importantly Network IO. Upon such virtualization of hardware resources, the platform can accommodate multiple virtual network applications such as Firewalls, Routers, Web Filters, and Intrusion Prevention Systems all functioning much like standalone hardware appliances, but contained within a single hardware appliance. The key benefit to such technology is doing all of this while maintaining the network performance typically seen with that of stand alone network appliances as well as enabling the ability to administratively or dynamically program resources at will.

==Server virtualization history==

Server [[Virtualizationvirtualization]], a technology that has become mainstream,{{Clarify|reason=vague|date=March 2014}} originally gained popularity when [[VMWareVMware]] entered the market in 2001 with its GSX server software. This technology gave IT organizations the ability to reduce the amount of rack space required to accommodate multiple servers and reduced the cost of powering and cooling datacentersdata centers by consolidating server based applications onto a single piece of hardware. One of the problems with Serverserver Virtualizationvirtualization is in how applications are networked together. Within a server virtualization environment, applications are interconnected by what is referred to as a virtual switch, which is muchvery different thanfrom high -performing hardware -based network switches offered by the likes of [[Juniper Networks]] and [[Cisco Systems]]. Virtual Switchesswitches are software -based switches and rely on the movement of packets up and down a software stack which relies on the same CPU’s inCPUs which are being used to drive the applications. Because of this software approach to switching, networking applications such as [[Firewall (computing)|Firewallsfirewalls]] and [[Router (computing)|Routersrouters]], which require high levels of [[throughput]] and low levels of [[Network latency|latency]], were not ideal to operate within a severserver virtualized environment, while applications less sensitive to throughput and latency such as email and file sharing were ideal.

==Network virtualization history==

NetworkInitially, network virtualization initially became a term thatonly describedinvolved the separation of the control plane and the forwarding plane (management and packet transmission) within networking devices such aslike switches. butThis has startedshifted to become a term that not only describes that but also describes the separation of the software and hardware of the networking application as well. It has quickly become a term that describesinclude the totality of virtualizing a network, that includesincluding how the network is programedprogrammed, administered, and deployed, be it hardware or, software, andor management and packet transmission.

==Network Virtualizationvirtualization Platformsplatforms==

[[File:Network Virtualization Platform Architecture Example.png|thumb|Network Virtualizationvirtualization Platformplatform Architecturearchitecture Exampleexample]]

* '''[[VMWare6WIND]] /Virtual [[Nicira]] NVPAccelerator''' – SeparatesProvides high performance virtual networks from the underlying hardware acceleration and was pioneered byon Nickusing McKeown,fast Scottpath Shenker,software and Martin Casado in[[DPDK]] 2007.technologies

* '''[[VMware]] / [[Nicira]] NVP''' – Separates virtual networks from the underlying hardware and was pioneered by [[Nick McKeown]], [[Scott Shenker]], and [[Martin Casado]] in 2007.

* '''Embrane Heleos''' – Virtual appliances that leverage a distributed architecture and was pioneered by Dante Malagrinò and Marco Di Benedetto in 2009.

* '''[[Cisco]] Nexus Virtual Services Appliance''' – A dedicated hardware platform for the deployment of services critical to virtualization infrastructure

* '''[[Juniper Networks]] JunosV App Engine''' - Unifies application management, optimizes the network for application provisioning and performance

* '''[[Barracuda Networks]] eoN''' – Powers software defined virtual appliances without performance drag and was pioneered by John Peterson in [http://www.google.com/patents/US20090328193 2006].

==References==

'''[[Barracuda Networks]] eoN''' – Powers software defined virtual appliances without performance drag and was pioneered by John Peterson in [http://www.google.com/patents/US20090328193 2006].

{{Reflist}}

'''[[VMWare]] / [[Nicira]] NVP''' – Separates virtual networks from the underlying hardware and was pioneered by Nick McKeown, Scott Shenker, and Martin Casado in 2007.

'''Embrane Heleos''' – Virtual appliances that leverage a distributed architecture and was pioneered by Dante Malagrinò and Marco Di Benedetto in 2009.

'''[[Cisco]] Nexus Virtual Services Appliance''' – A dedicated hardware platform for the deployment of services critical to virtualization infrastructure

'''[[Juniper Networks]] JunosV App Engine''' - Unifies application management, optimizes the network for application provisioning and performance

==Sources==

* [httphttps://www.sdxcentral.com/products/virtual-accelerator/ 6WIND Virtual Accelerator from SDxCentral]
* [https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardstiennon/2013/05/08/barracuda-introduces-network-virtualization-platform-eon/ Barracuda Introduces Network Virtualization Platform]

* [http://www.networkcomputing.com/next-gen-network-tech-center/niciras-network-virtualization-platform/232600693 Nicira’s Network Virtualization Platform Release Raises Questions]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130905222341/http://gigaom.com/2011/12/11/embranes-virtual-network-appliances-for-an-sdn-world/ Embrane’s virtual network appliances for an SDN world]

* [http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9902/ps10785/data_sheet_c78-593960.html Cisco Nexus 1010 and 1010-X Virtual Services Appliance Data Sheet]

* [httphttps://www.networkworld.com/newsarticle/2012664867/101112lan-wan-juniper-routersfortifies-263260network-edge-with-new-routers.html Juniper fortifies network edge with new routers]

* [http://www.ibm.com/services/network/what-is-nfv What are the benefits of NFV?]

[[Category:Computer networking]]