Author: Patrick Osbaldeston

NEC collaborates with Microsoft to transform the data center with Software-defined Networking

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ProgrammableFlow® PF1000 Virtual Switch, now Microsoft certified and integrated with System Center Virtual Machine Manager, goes live

Integrated network and compute orchestration will soon be generally available for all Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V customers using R2, System Center Virtual Machine Manager , and NEC ProgrammableFlow® Networking Suite. We first demonstrated this unified, intelligent, and open virtualization solution at TechEd in June, documented here on NEC Today for our followers. As of Nov. 1, 2013, Microsoft and NEC joint customers will command new levels of IT flexibility and automation with dynamic management and allocation of pooled network resources, as well as their compute and storage pools, all from a central point of control.

Up to now, even as virtual machines and storage have been readily migrated and allocated to applications, the associated networks have presented a bottleneck to delivery of services. The manual processes and complexity of conventional networks have limited the agility of network services. Furthermore, traditional network designs have limited performance and throughput.

Combining both System Center Virtual Machine Manager and ProgrammableFlow Networking delivers real benefits and provides the platform to achieve new levels of agility:

  • Add, move or change virtual and physical networks in seconds from Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager, shaving days or even weeks from traditional deployment models
  • Control data center traffic flow on a granular level, including dynamic, application-centric security policy for reduced OpEx and CapEx
  • Dramatically improve throughput within the server and across the network fabric
  • Apply business policy consistently across the network and compute infrastructure, enabling a more cost-effective and flexible network that responds to the needs of the business
  • Enable isolated, secure multi-tenant networks for private clouds to meet compliance and Service Level goals
  • Scale to thousands of virtual networks, and hundreds of thousands of VMs
  • Obtain network visibility and end-to-end QoS for better management of Service Level Agreements and accelerated troubleshooting
  • Reduce power and footprint over traditional networks, with savings up to 80%
  • Simplify multi-data center deployment

Generally Available Nov. 1: ProgrammableFlow Networking with System Center Virtual Machine Manager

The NEC ProgrammableFlow Network Suite integrates OpenFlow-based Software-Defined Networking (SDN) with Server Virtualization Management (VM), provisioned and orchestrated by System Center Virtual Machine Manager. This integration simplifies additions, deletions and changes to large-scale Hyper-V environments. When administrators create a virtual network in the System Center Virtual Machine Manager workflow, ProgrammableFlow SDN dynamically provisions network services. The virtual and physical network policy is deployed automatically. Because the ProgrammableFlow Networking suite uses the OpenFlow protocol, both the physical switch and Hyper-V extensible vSwitch (together with the PF1000) are dynamically provisioned and controlled, enabling complete integration of network and workload policy. These settings can also be done remotely in the Hyper-V host, enabling lower operational costs by automating network management settings such as VLAN settings for VM.

As depicted here, when a VM is created in System Center Virtual Machine Manager and is connected to a ProgrammableFlow network, the workflow will be automatically mapped to the network – without the administrator knowing ProgrammableFlow-specific operations.

ProgrammableFlow PF1000 OpenFlow virtual switch Windows Server 2012 R2 certified

microsoft windows server 2012 certifiedNEC is also pleased to announce that the ProgrammableFlow PF1000 vSwitch has been certified under the Windows Server 2012 R2 program. This program identifies hardware and software solutions that meet Microsoft standards for compatibility and recommended practices with the respective Windows Server operating systems. NEC’s ProgrammableFlow PF1000 is the first OpenFlow-based vSwitch certified under the Windows Server 2012 program. The ProgrammableFlow PF1000 is available for download free from NEC.

For information on the ProgrammableFlow PF6800 controller, integrated with System Center Virtual Machine Manager, see your Microsoft or NEC reseller, or visit http://www.necam.com/sdn today.

NEC featured at Software-Defined Data Center Symposium Tuesday, September 10

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We are getting ready for an exciting event next Tuesday, September 10, at the Tech Mart in Silicon Valley (Santa Clara). NEC Today followers who are unable to attend can view it live on this web site The Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Symposium, which will be produced by Packet Pushers, SDN Central and Tech Field Day, and sponsored by NEC. This event was sold out shortly after being announced a month ago, and promises to be a real winner with a keynote appearance by Alan Boeheme, Chief of Enterprise Architecture at Coca-Cola Company, talking about how Coca-Cola is building SDDCs.

sdncentral sddc13

Hosting panels on a variety of topics in the afternoon will be Jim Duffy, editor-in-chief of Network World, Greg Ferro of Packet Pusher fame, Ivan Peplnjak of iosHints (leading the panel on SDDC Architecture), and Tom Hollingsworth of Network Field Day and Gestalt Media. We are looking forward to hearing what all of these luminaries have to share!

Presenting from NEC will be Don Clark, director of business development, who will speak beginning at 9:30 a.m. PST. Don will describe the role of openness, visibility and programmability in the Software Defined Data Center and how business that embrace SDDC are driving higher levels of agility and efficiency. Since the event is sold out, NEC has chosen to stream it live from this NEC Today page. So come back here next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. PST to view Don’s presentation!

Also featured on the agenda is Samrat Ganguly, NEC’s chief architect for ProgrammableFlow, joining a panel moderated by Ivan Peplnjak at 2 p.m. PST and discussing next-generation Software-defined Data Center Architecture. Finally, you won’t want to miss David Cheperdak, NEC ProgrammableFlow systems engineer, on a panel from 4:15-5p.m. PST as he discusses with colleagues, including Tom Hollingsworth, how applications are changing the way a typical SDDC is designed and implemented.

NEC is pleased to invite you to the “Symposium after the Symposium” beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Tech Mart. Join us for a discussion of the day’s events and findings. And be sure to check back here on Tuesday for all of the presentations streamed via live video feed!

Making the Move to Software Based Communications

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Software-based voice and unified communications (UC) is one of the biggest trends in IT today. The ability for voice and PBX functions to be purely software-based, residing on off-the-shelf servers, has opened a new world of possibilities when it comes to virtualization, portability, business continuity and disaster recovery. It also benefits end users by providing a common user experience across multiple devices, ensuring the look and feel of the UC app on your PC is the same as your smartphone and tablet. This ease of use greatly enhances your organization’s mobility strategy by simplifying end user training and increasing adoption. It also complements the undeniable BYOD trend as end users can visit an app store to download a mobile version of their desk phone and UC app to their smartphone or table.

Whether it’s traditional PBX features such as voice, voicemail, unified messaging, presence, call recording, or a combination of them all, software-based communications gives you the management interface that combines the tools you need and makes it easy to manage and deploy. With software-based communications, you have a single application that makes upgrading and ongoing maintenance easy and seamless. With the portability to move in or outside of your network through on-premises, cloud, or hybrid deployment, you can feel secure with the complete business continuity that software-based communications offers.

If your biggest concern is finding the capital to fund this venture, the good news is there are financing options to consider to ensure you’re still able to reap the benefits without breaking your budget. Your best bet in leveraging financing is to shift your technology upgrades from your Capital budget to your Operating budget. This is where your technology financing partner plays a very important role. With budget concerns, a partner who offers varying lease options may work best. For example, taking advantage of a zero percent lease option will allow you to obtain the technology upgrades you need now at a rate that falls well below what you’re currently spending for maintenance now.

Watch the video below to see Drew Beckmann, from NEC Corporation of America, discuss how software-based communications can be deployed on-premises or as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). He addresses a number of additional benefits and discusses security concerns with this type of application.

Have you made the move to software-based communications? Tell us how in the comments below.

NEC to demonstrate integrated server and network virtualization orchestration at TechEd

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After delivering the first Windows 2012 extensible vSwitch for Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V, the ProgrammableFlow PF1000, NEC is continuing to collaborate with Microsoft for the benefit of Windows Server 2012 customers. For the first time at TechEd, beginning Sunday, June 2, in New Orleans, attendees will view a demonstration of a completely integrated NEC Software-Defined Network with Microsoft’s System Center Virtual Machine Manager, providing a single point of orchestration for both virtualized server and network environments.

Microsoft’s System Center Virtual Machine Manager with NEC’s OpenFlow-based ProgrammableFlow solution

Microsoft’s System Center Virtual Machine Manager with NEC’s OpenFlow-based ProgrammableFlow solution provides streamlined network deployment and configuration, dramatically decreases operational costs and extends flexibility, control and automation across the network.

NEC will be leveraging its award-winning ProgrammableFlow® networking suite, including the PF6800 SDN OpenFlow-based controller, and the new PF1000 vSwitch, to enable complete network virtualization and automated, dynamic network management.

NEC’s ProgrammableFlow networking suite adapts to changing workload needs by abstracting from the physical network, controlling data center traffic flows, and enabling integrated policies that span both the physical and virtual networks. The Virtual Tenant Network (VTN) function enables ProgrammableFlow customers to easily configure and manage isolated and secure virtual networks as required by many use cases.

Integrated SDN solution promises flexibility, control, automation and reduced OpEx
The integrated NEC ProgrammableFlow and Microsoft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager solution promises benefits in four key areas: increased flexibility, control, automation and operational expense savings. While the integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager is new, ProgrammableFlow is currently in production in multiple global and North American installations with documented results.

From a flexibility perspective, the virtual network abstraction provides a new level of flexibility similar to what server virtualization delivered. In the past, physical networks could not be easily redeployed or changed. Complete network virtualization allows for virtual networks that can be easily modified and moved. This may be the use case that many seek when looking for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) solutions. Flexibility also results from ProgrammableFlow’s multi-tenant networking. The ability to isolate secure virtual networks to match business requirements is a new and exciting product of ProgrammableFlow’s Virtual Tenant Networking.

New levels of control are enabled with the ability to set policies across the network – all from a centralized point. The ProgrammableFlow networking suite further allows for bandwidth control, and dynamic traffic control with network-wide Quality of Service (QoS) that allows customers to prioritize traffic across the network and mitigate or eliminate bottlenecks on key workloads or designated network flows.

ProgrammableFlow network suite integrated with System Center Virtual Machine Manager delivers unmatched network automation. It enables customers to move VMs between physical hosts with business policy moving with the VM and routing of packets automatically updated – transparent to the administrator and to the user. As a further aid to managers moving virtual machines, end-to-end flows can now be viewed on the management console, providing new insight on network status. Dynamic, policy-driven network configuration and reconfiguration becomes increasingly important when considering the imperative of business agility, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager ties together these benefits when considering the control across hundreds or even thousands of VMs and their supporting networks.

Reducing complexity and eliminating many manual tasks drive operational savings from the integration of System Center Virtual Machine Manager and ProgrammableFlow. Kanazawa University Hospital reported the deployment of software defined networking will produce operational cost savings of as much as 80%. Genesis Hosting Services is on record with a significant drop in network programming. Nippon Express looked at energy savings exceeding 50% over conventional networks, and last week SDN Central reported that NTT expected more than 50% OpEx savings from ProgrammableFlow SDN by the end of 2015.

For more information on Software-defined Networking and NEC’s ProgrammableFlow, please visit our web site at necam.com/sdn. Also, register for TechEd or, to follow the proceedings, go to northamerica.msteched.com.