Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV)

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a relatively new concept. It allows networks to be defined and controlled using software external to the physical networking devices.

With SDN, a relatively simple physical network can be programmed to act as a complex virtual network. It can become a hierarchical, complex and secured virtual structure that can easily be changed without touching the physical network components.

An SDN can be controlled from a single management console and open APIs can be used to manage the network using third party software. This is particularly useful in a cloud environment, where networks change frequently as machines are added or removed from a tenant’s environment. With a single click of a button or a single API call, complex networks can be created within seconds.

SDN works by decoupling the control plane and data plane from each other, such that the control plane resides centrally and the data plane (the physical switches) remain distributed, as shown in the next figure.

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

In a traditional switch or router, the network device dynamically learns packet forwarding rules and stores them in each device as ARP or routing tables. In an SDN, the distributed data plane devices are forwarding network packets based on ARP or routing rules that are loaded into the devices by an SDN controller devices in the central control plane. This allows the physical devices to be much simpler and more cost effective.

 

Network Function Virtualization

In addition to SDN, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a way to virtualize networking devices like firewalls, VPN gateways and load balancers. Instead of having hardware appliances for each network function, in NFV, these appliances are implemented by virtual machines running applications that perform the network functions.

Using APIs, NFV virtual appliances can be created and configured dynamically and on-demand, leading to a flexible network configuration. It allows, for instance, to deploy a new firewall as part of a script that creates a number of connected virtual machines in a cloud environment.


This entry was posted on Friday 23 September 2016

Earlier articles

Quantum computing

Security at cloud providers not getting better because of government regulation

The cloud is as insecure as its configuration

Infrastructure as code

DevOps for infrastructure

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

(Hyper) Converged Infrastructure

Object storage

Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV)

Software Defined Storage (SDS)

What's the point of using Docker containers?

Identity and Access Management

Using user profiles to determine infrastructure load

Public wireless networks

Supercomputer architecture

Desktop virtualization

Stakeholder management

x86 platform architecture

Midrange systems architecture

Mainframe Architecture

Software Defined Data Center - SDDC

The Virtualization Model

What are concurrent users?

Performance and availability monitoring in levels

UX/UI has no business rules

Technical debt: a time related issue

Solution shaping workshops

Architecture life cycle

Project managers and architects

Using ArchiMate for describing infrastructures

Kruchten’s 4+1 views for solution architecture

The SEI stack of solution architecture frameworks

TOGAF and infrastructure architecture

The Zachman framework

An introduction to architecture frameworks

How to handle a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack

Architecture Principles

Views and viewpoints explained

Stakeholders and their concerns

Skills of a solution architect architect

Solution architects versus enterprise architects

Definition of IT Architecture

What is Big Data?

How to make your IT "Greener"

What is Cloud computing and IaaS?

Purchasing of IT infrastructure technologies and services

IDS/IPS systems

IP Protocol (IPv4) classes and subnets

Infrastructure Architecture - Course materials

Introduction to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Fire prevention in the datacenter

Where to build your datacenter

Availability - Fall-back, hot site, warm site

Reliabilty of infrastructure components

Human factors in availability of systems

Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

Performance - Design for use

Performance concepts - Load balancing

Performance concepts - Scaling

Performance concept - Caching

Perceived performance

Ethical hacking

The first computers

Open group ITAC /Open CA Certification


Recommended links

Ruth Malan
Gaudi site
Esther Barthel's site on virtualization
Eltjo Poort's site on architecture


Feeds

 
XML: RSS Feed 
XML: Atom Feed 


Disclaimer

The postings on this site are my opinions and do not necessarily represent CGI’s strategies, views or opinions.

 

Copyright Sjaak Laan