When SDN meets Mobility The result is an automated, simpler network that supports the way you work With wireless increasingly becoming the primary means of access for end users, it is essential that any Software-Defined Networking (SDN) strategy encompasses the complete enterprise network including wireless and user mobility. Avaya s holistic software-defined networking architecture covers the user experience end-to-end across the entire enterprise network. It extends from the Data Center all the way to the enterprise edge, including the wireless edge enabling customers to reap the benefits of network simplicity, reliability, and virtualization. It also supports the deployment of SDN-enabled applications in a flexible manner based on specific business cases. Table of Contents Avaya SDN Fabric Attach... 1 Zero-Touch Wireless Edge... 2 The primary purpose of a network is to interconnect users with their applications, and the best networks do this reliably, efficiently, and with a high degree of agility. Avaya SDN Fx comprises a single network-wide Ethernet Fabric that extends from the Data Center to the Edge, enabling powerful integration with applications, users and devices. Dynamic Wireless Application Control... 3 Mobility Use Case Examples... 3 Conclusion... 5 Avaya SDN Fabric Attach Avaya SDN Fabric Attach extends Avaya s innovative Fabric technology to the wireless edge (supported on Avaya Wireless LAN 9100 Series). SDN Fabric Attach is an innovative, standards-based approach that solves the longstanding challenge of how to easily and consistently connect a broad range of devices, including conventional access switches, wireless LAN access points, video cameras, IP phones, printers, and several other Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can connect to the enterprise edge. It can also include servers, virtual machines, and conventional top-of-rack switches in the Data Center. With Avaya SDN Fabric Attach technology, the existing drudgery of manually configuring thousands of access switch ports to get the network ready when adding end-points like WLAN access points, video cameras, printers and other IoT devices is removed and replaced with plug-and-play deployment based automation. avaya.com 1
Avaya SDN Fx Architecture Avaya delivers the industry s first holistic software-defined networking architecture, uniquely addressing the endto-end relationship between applications, business logic, and networking services. The Avaya SDN Fx architecture defines a solutions framework that enables customers to reap the benefits of network simplicity, reliability, and virtualization, and supports the deployment of SDN-enabled applications in a controlled manner as, where, and when business cases drive demand. The Avaya SDN Fabric Attach technology also helps in extending the power of Avaya SDN Fabric Connect with its scalable, secure and automated layer-2 services based architecture all the way to the enterprise edge and help provisioning elastic services across the enterprise network, both wired and wireless. The result of extending Fabric to the wireless edge is a simpler network that is easier to implement and administer. Offering zero touch provisioning, it accelerates time-to-service allowing new services or changes to services to be implemented quickly and error-free. It also removes the complexity and learning curve associated with deploying and operating wireless networks Zero-Touch Wireless Edge Figure 1 highlights the SDN Fx signaling used to extend the zero touch core to the zero touch edge. Avaya s SDN Fx architecture is built upon three unique tenets: Automated Core networking functions are automated using a single network-wide Ethernet Fabric Open Ecosystem standardized Fabric protocols married with open interfaces and open source customization tools Automated Edge extending the Fabric beyond the Data Center, to the Edge, for powerful integration with applications, users, and devices The SDN Fx architecture extends seamlessly to the Wireless LAN including plugand-play AP deployment, elastic Wireless service updates across wired and wireless parts of the network and fine-grained application control and optimization ensuring highest level of user experience. Figure 1 The baseline setup is Avaya s SDN Fx network is preconfigured with services. With the Avaya SDN Fabric Attach technology, there is no need to configure Fabric Attach switches with service identifiers, VLANs, port membership, avaya.com 2
SDN Fx Components SDN Fabric Connect Innovative Ethernet Fabric that enabled the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games and delivers the automated Core SDN Fabric Attach Extends Fabric Connect to the edge (wired/wireless switches, IoT devices etc.) SDN Fabric Extend Supports the interconnection/tunneling of Fabric Connect connectivity over third party IP-based networks. Fabric Extend can be used to deliver service elasticity, create new connectivity options, and provide additional resiliency SDN Fabric Orchestrator Fabric Orchestrator is a core component that enables orchestration and programmability. Designed as an easy-to-deploy solution leveraging Fabric Attach for touchless provisioning, the Fabric Orchestrator provides for configuration, provisioning, monitoring, and policy management services, delivering these via a single pane of glass user interface SDN Fabric ONA The Avaya Open Networking Adapter (ONA) initiative delivers a family of small form-factor devices that act as a bridge between any Ethernet-equipped device and the Fabric Connect private cloud. Simply connect the business end-point via an ONA and Fabric Attach functionality takes care of the rest; provisioning is automated, and centrally defined service parameters are applied. uplink/trunk ports and tagging this is all automated with the Avaya SDN Fx solution. Endpoints and client connections trigger auto configuration of service identifiers, VLANs, port membership, etc. Endpoints and clients are automatically attached to authorized services. The result is a greatly simplified automated network that simplifies adds, moves and changes Services and associated endpoints or users. Let s consider the benefits of SDN Fx in real life use case examples. Dynamic Wireless Application Control The Avaya Wireless LAN architecture with a distributed architecture of deeppacket inspection (DPI) based application control ensures a fine-grained control and optimization of productivity and recreational applications. Finegrained control of more than 1300 applications can be automatically enforced at the control plane layer, based on business rules centrally defined at the Wireless Orchestration System (WOS). With this dynamic automation of application usage at user session granularity, enterprise network administrators can ensure that business needs are translated to network behavior ensuring optimal user experience. Mobility Use Case Examples Use Case 1: Adding 100 new APs to existing WLAN network Problem IT resources and budgets are increasingly limited. IT managers and administrators require simpler solutions that involve less IT intervention and support. Consider the scenario where 100 new wireless Access Points need to be added to an existing WLAN network to address bandwidth demands resulting from the proliferation of user devices and applications. With a traditional WLAN network, many manual steps are required. The IT administrator would typically configure the wireless controller, plug the AP in, manually configure the edge switch (that the AP is attaching to) and the aggregation & core switches, and then finally confirm configuration alignment between the switch, its port and the connected WLAN AP device. This process then needs to be repeated for each AP, consuming hours if not days of a network administrators time. SDN Fx Solution Avaya s SDN Fx solution revolutionizes this process by enabling networks to be provisioned in a fraction of the time of traditional networks. With Avaya s SDN Fx solution, all the IT Administrator is required to do is to configure the WLAN Orchestration System (WOS) with AP information and policies. They then connect the APs and all the rest is automated. The network is up and running in seconds. The Avaya SDN Fx solution authenticates and authorizes the new APs, downloads configuration data to each of the APs and auto provisions the avaya.com 3
Why Avaya SDN Fx? Addresses the end-to-end relationship between applications, business logic, and networking services. Benefits from a pragmatic foundation openness and standards Provides service agility without increasing complexity. Addresses the Network Edge, where users and their devices begin their interaction with applications. Supports traditional access technologies and the variety of emerging end-points: video cameras, wireless access points, user-centric devices, sensors, scanners, several other Internet of Things (IoT) devices, vswitches VM Hypervisors, as well as conventional third-party end-points, switches. It removes the complexity and learning curve associated with deploying wireless networks. The Avaya SDN Fabric Attach technology automates the auto-provisioning of the switch ports to which the APs were connected and to the rest of the network based on the wireless service provisioned on the APs. Mobility Use Case 2: Deploying New Services Problem A second common use case is when an IP administrator wishes to deploy new services. With a traditional wireless network, the network administrator would configure the new service on the WLAN Controller. They would then configure the core switches followed by the edge switches and finally download the new services from the WLAN Management system to the APs. SDN Fx Solution With Avaya s SDN Fx solution, services can be deployed in a fraction of the time. All the network administrator needs to do is to configure the new service on the Avaya WLAN Orchestration System (WOS), download the new services from the WOS to the APs in one automated sequence. The provisioning of the associated edge and core switches is automatic and error-free reducing several man-hours of configurations and troubleshooting in case of any errors. Mobility Use Case 3: User Roaming / Mobility Problem The ability for users to roam freely within an enterprise while maintaining a high user experience on their mobile devices is not a nice to have it is imperative in current scenarios of highly mobile and distributed workforce. The challenge with traditional networks is that roaming can be complex and it involves careful planning. Factors such as AP to AP tunneling, tunnel explosion, throughput limitations of controller-based solutions, subneting, guest access tunneled to DMZ, all need to be taken into consideration. The reality is that there are often so many pitfalls and limitations such as roaming not turned on. Or roaming offered as a best effort service. SDN Fx Solution The Avaya SDN Fx solution addresses the roaming complexity by delivering a simpler solution one design model that offers seamless roaming ability. With the introduction of Avaya SDN Fabric Attach capability on the Avaya Edge Switches and the WLAN 9100 Access Points, the network administrator can define Wireless Access for Corporate and Personal devices as unique services that specify the VLAN as well as Network / Application Access Policies. The administrator either uses the Wireless LAN Orchestration System or Identity Engines System based on the deployment type to specify these services. Avaya SDN Fabric Attach technology then automatically extends these services to all the edge switches in the wiring closets and across the core switches leveraging Avaya SDN Fabric Connect Technology. avaya.com 4
Avaya WLAN 9100 Top Ten Things You Need to Know 1. Application Control visibility and control for 1300+ applications. Block, throttle or apply QoS directly at the network edge 2. Technician-free n to ac upgrade to the latest 802.11ac standard with a simple software upgrade 3. Software programmable radios tailor your environment to your users 4. Up to 70% more bandwidth supports two radios at 802.11ac* 5. Fabric to the AP - simpler network that is easier to implement and administer 6. Intuitive Management everything you need to manage your wireless solution Conclusion With the SDN Fx strategy, Avaya is delivering the industry s first holistic software-defined networking architecture. Solutions support the deployment of SDN applications in a controlled, business-driven manner, and enable customers to reap the benefits of network simplicity, reliability, and virtualization in hybrid and legacy environments. SDN Fx exemplifies Avaya s continued focus on delivering networking simplicity, automation and efficiency, benefiting from pragmatic foundation of openness and standards, offering levels of integration far in excess of the basic programmability delivered by the generic Software- Defined Networking model. 7. Distributed Controller reduces equipment costs and eliminates bottlenecks 8. APs for every use indoor, outdoor, 11n, 11ac, etc. 9. Advanced RF Management improved user experience by maximizing the use of RF resources 10. Secure Network Access enforce who gets on, with what, and to go where *70% more bandwidth is based on the following: Industry-standard 802.11ac, 3x3 AP: Radio 1 = 225Mbps (2.4GHz); Radio 2 = 1.3Gbps (5GHz) = Max Bandwidth: 1.525Gbps Avaya 802.11ac, 3x3 AP: Radio 1 =1.3 Gbps (5Ghz) Radio 2 (5GHz) = 1.3 Gbps =Max bandwidth: 2.6 Gbps avaya.com 5
About Avaya Avaya is a leading, global provider of customer and team engagement solutions and services available in a variety of flexible on-premise and cloud deployment options. Avaya s fabric-based networking solutions help simplify and accelerate the deployment of business critical applications and services. For more information, please visit www.avaya.com. 2015 Avaya Inc. All Rights Reserved. Avaya and the Avaya logo are trademarks of Avaya Inc. and are registered in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks identified by, TM, or SM are registered marks, trademarks, and service marks, respectively, of Avaya Inc. 03/15 DN7711-01 avaya.com 6