Tags: OpenFlow

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

Posted by Patrick Osbaldeston on Posted in Straight Talk Tagged , , , , , ,

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.

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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!

NEC Demonstrating OpenFlow Quantum Plug-in for OpenStack at Red Hat Summit

Posted by Bryan Williams on Posted in Straight Talk Tagged , , , , , , ,

This week at the Red Hat Summit in Boston, NEC will be demonstrating an OpenFlow Quantum plug-in for OpenStack. This plug-in, when combined with NEC’s ProgrammableFlow® SDN Controller, brings an OpenFlow-enabled partner ecosystem to the Cloud, unifies OpenStack and OpenFlow networking models and seamlessly integrates with OpenStack’s existing network management capabilities. Whereas OpenStack provides the platform to manage compute virtualization, NEC’s ProgrammableFlow SDN product suite provides end-to-end OpenFlow orchestration, multi-tenancy and complete virtualization of the network layer while enforcing isolation between logical network tenants.

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If you’re planning to attend the Red Hat Summit, please visit NEC at Booth 17 in the OpenStack Partner Pavilion. Hope to see you there!

What to know more about SDN?  Watch the video below:

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NEC to demonstrate integrated server and network virtualization orchestration at TechEd

Posted by Patrick Osbaldeston on Posted in Straight Talk Tagged , , , , , , , ,

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.

NEC awarded first Annual Software-Defined Networking Innovation Award from Search Networking

Posted by Bryan Williams on Posted in Straight Talk Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEC was honored to accept today the Network Innovation Award  from Search Networking.com, the first award ever given to a networking company for its work in the rapidly emerging Software-Defined Networking (SDN) arena.  In annoucing the award, Executive Editor Rivka Little commented“In the past year, many companies have begun to firm up their SDN plans, but one company made the quickest strides in getting innovative OpenFlow products to market – NEC Corporation of America.  So it is fitting that NEC is the first company to win a SearchNetworking.com Network Innovation Award in the category of Software-Defined Networking.”

Jeremy Hurley presenting award to Don ClarkJeremy Hurley, SearchNetworking.com Publisher, is shown here (left) presenting the Innovation honor to Don Clark, Director of Business Development for  the ProgrammableFlow® Open SDN product suite.  More than 400 engineering person years have been invested by NEC into this ground-breaking Software-Defined Networking solution, a commitment first begun in 2008 when NEC co-founded and helped fund The Clean Slate Lab at Stanford, the birthplace of the OpenFlow protocol.  First to market with a complete programmable networking solution in May of 2011, NEC currently offers a third version of its award-winning OpenFlow-based PF6800 controller.  In addition to the simplified and automated network originally introduced in 2011, Version 3 introduced end-to-end Quality of Service, scalability beyond  4,096 VLANs, advanced network automation and granular network management.  And just last week NEC participated with 20 other vendors at PlugFest, testing and demonstrating interoperability with multiple vendors including Broadcom, Brocade, Extreme, IBM and Juniper.

NEC openflow Networking Innovation AwardSDN marks a major change in the network landscape by moving the intelligence off proprietary routers and switches and into a centralized controller, where software enables you to design, deploy, monitor and manage the network from a single point.   The OpenFlow-based ProgrammableFlow network suite separates the control plane from the data plane, enabling this radical simplification and complete network-wide virtuallization.  Equally important, the  ProgrammableFlow Network Fabric delivers an open, standardized northbound API to enable applications to be readily added to the network and speeding service delivery and business agility.  These qualities were some of the benefits SearchNetworking editors saw in ProgrammableFlow Open SDN when they gave us the Networking Innovation Award.  We are proud to accept this honor.    To learn more about NEC’s ProgrammableFlow solution visit:  http://necam.com/pflow

 

 

 

Windows Server 2012: An opportunity for customers to take advantage of VM Mobility and Multi-tenancy

Posted by Bryan Williams on Posted in Straight Talk Tagged , , , , , ,

NEC has been working closely with Microsoft to make full use of the Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Extensible Switch to integrate and deliver an OpenFlow-based Software Defined Network.  Some particularly impressive use-cases around automation, multi-tenancy, VM mobility, and security will be rolling out in conjunction with this new capability.  This blog post looks at two of these.

ProgrammableFlow Fabric defines multi-tenant virtual networks in which tenants are isolated at the network level. With true traffic isolation between tenants, end systems belonging to one tenant network cannot reach end systems belonging to another tenant network. At the same time, each tenant can define its own customized layer-2 or layer-3 network and utilize inter-tenant isolation to effectively create a secured slice of the underlying physical network.

“ProgrammableFlow Network Suite unifies the physical and virtual network policy, creating the perfect complement to the Software-Defined Networking capabilities built into Windows Server 2012,” Microsoft’s Sandeep Singhal, General Manager, Windows Networking, tells us.  “Built for the cloud, Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V provides rich multi-tenancy and isolation capabilities.  The Hyper-V Extensible Switch enables NEC’s ProgrammableFlow Suite to provide an unified, end-to-end experience that is fully integrated into Windows.”

Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Use Case 1: VM Mobility and consistent policy over Virtual & Physical Networks

NEC Openflow SolutionBefore September and the availability of Windows Server 2012, you had to configure your policy multiple times for both physical and virtual networks.  In addition, if you wanted to move a virtual machine, it would typically require a network administrator to make those programming adjustments on the network.  This is a time-consuming, expensive process, and often served as a bottleneck to your business.

In the new world of Windows Server 2012 and ProgrammableFlow® Networking, such moves and changes will be transparent, negating the programming requirement exists today —Valuable technical resources can focus on service delivery rather than configuration management.  As VMs move, they will be instantly recognized by the OpenFlow-based ProgrammableFlow controller and the network topology will be automatically updated.  And this is the really cool part:  Using the extension provided by Windows Server 2012, NEC converts the Hyper-V Extensible Switch into an OpenFlow enabled virtual ProgrammableFlow switch.  Enabling OpenFlow enables end to end network visibility and control. When you input your business policy into Windows Server 2012, ProgrammableFlow is able to read that policy and apply it – over both the virtual and the physical network.

With these capabilities, Windows 2012 Server users can roll out new applications, or make changes to your business priorities. Windows Server 2012 and ProgrammableFlow will be there to support you.

Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Use Case 2:  Granular Security Policy Administration

A second use case addresses the increased sprawl of network appliances.  Using the flow control capabilities of ProgrammableFlow, network operators can redirect selected traffic flows into network appliances programmatically only as needed.  The result is fewer firewalls are required.  Even better, ProgrammableFlow works in tandem with Microsoft’s Hyper-V Network Virtualization to create a comprehensive Software-Defined Networking solution.

Faster processing.  Fewer bottlenecks.  More efficient use of resources.  Granular policy administration and prioritization of your network traffic are hallmarks of ProgrammableFlow networking.  We look forward to delivering it to you.

Contact your NEC representative today to learn more about these use cases, or how you can leverage ProgrammableFlow OpenFlow Network Fabric in your Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V installation.  Learn more by clicking here today: http://necam.com/pflow