SDN Software Defined Networks

SDN Overview What is SDN? Loosely defined by vendors, analysts, press - Splitting data plane (forwarding hardware) from control plane (logic that controls packet forwarding) is the most common definition - External device used to direct traffic forwarding Traditionally forwarding controlled by Spanning Tree, OSPF, etc and administered by switch manufacturer s management system - Most commonly discussed in context of datacenters and service providers SDN proponents cite campus and the enterprise use cases as well SDN claims: - Allows centralized management from multiple vendors - Improved automation and management with common APIs - Increased reliability, and more granular control of the 2 network 20

SDN Overview Market Buzz Why all the noise? - Hyper scale datacenter operators (Google, Facebook, researchers) and service providers are experimenting and deploying SDNs More flexibility, efficiency and scalability for unpredictable traffic patterns and workloads A standardized way to program switches o If successful, SDNs may find their way into mainstream network - Data centers are the biggest growth area in networking Significant investment in SDN startups Disruptive technology potentially altering the landscape of incumbent vendors in the nextgeneration of datacenter build-outs Low cost commodity hardware, managed by external controllers could replace high end switches Eliminate firmware customized to a specific hardware platform 20 3

OpenFlow & SDN They are NOT the same OpenFlow A protocol used to communicate between an external OpenFlow controller and OpenFlow enabled switches OpenFlow and SDN are not synonymous OpenFlow is a communication protocol between a controller and a switch: OpenFlow does not define a SDN SDN is much more than flow provisioning Standardized and promoted primarily by the Open Network Forum (ONF) A consortium of researchers, network operators, and networking vendors 20 4

SDN Centralization Models Centralized control and provisioning - Until recently this hasn t been in the focus of standardization by new industry consortiums that embrace SDN like the ONF - CLI, SNMP, NETCONF etc, created for centralized control - Centralized control and an API abstraction layer in the management plane can be provided today by Enterasys Centralized Control Plane - Focus of early SDN architectures Centralized routing, pathing, and policy decisions - Goal of cost and complexity reduction Low-cost commodity switches & inexpensive controllers Single point of control - Foreseen challenges with centralized control plane Scaling, resiliency and provisioning Flow monitoring, pathing, routing, and policy decisions Inter-domain connectivity 20 5

Enterasys View of SDN The market for today and tomorrow Extensive experience with SDN - Pioneered SDN technology in the early 1990s with Secure VNS - Currently shipping the largest scale flow-based Enterprise class switch/router Built on custom ASIC technology (CoreFlow2) up to 64M concurrent flows Benefits today - Centralized control and provisioning - SDN deployable today with Enterasys Concerns for general market direction 20 6 - Centralized routing and pathing cannot scale when real time policy decisions are required Static path provisioning may have applicability in hyper scale datacenter and service provider networks - Curent barriers to an Enterprise based OpenFlow network Lack of a well defined operational model Feature-set of both switches and controllers are disparate across the industry, negating the simplicity, 2012 vendor Enterasys independence Networks, Inc All rights and reserved. agility claims

The Optimal Approach for the Enterprise The Enterasys SDN architecture To scale and operate a SDN today, we deliver the following: A centralized management plane with selective control functions providing visibility, control, and automation and open Northbound APIs A distributed control plane residing inside the network infrastructure to establish and maintain topology for a robust and resilient network A application and flow aware data plane SDN done right? A hybrid approach 20 7

OneFabric Control Center Northbound APIs enable manipulation of the policy engine Manage with a single management platform - Unified wired/wireless access VM and Cloud Directory PKI CMDB Asset Alarm Systems Provisioning Software Device Mgmt - Core networks - Data Centers - Security Integrates with existing IT through an SOA approach and automated IT workflows - Open API s ( i.e. XML..) and a single database OneFabric Control Center Fabric management not node management - System-wide management instead of node by node since the launch of our management solution in 2001 - Interworking with highly manageable switches is in our DNA since the 90 s 8 2012 Enterasys Networks, Inc.. All rights reserved.

The Software Defined Data Center SDN use case - Data Center Manager (DCM) Automation & control Dynamic configuration of the vswitch and physical infrastructure for each VM Visibility Integrated tracking of VM and its applications along with centralized view of virtual and physical network infrastructure Vendor agnostic Integrates with popular server virtualization products from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware Synchronize VM asset information Northbound API Assign network connectivity profile to VM Soutbound API Pre-provision network connectivity & VLANs Report on VM location, switch port status and assigned connectivity profile OneFabric Control Center 20 9

OneFabric Solutions Modular, flexible approach to solving network challenges OneFabric Control Center (Unified security and management) OneFabric Data Center OneFabric Edge OneFabric Security 10 One piece at a time. Evolve to a fabric-based network at your speed. 2012 Enterasys Networks, Inc.. All rights reserved.