SDN
Software-defined networking
The Network Solution for the Era of Big Data
271 Waverley Oaks Road
Waltham, MA 02452
781.472.3400
www.nwnit.com
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
2
The SDN Revolution
The Software-Defined Networking (SDN) revolution is here. It is crashing
like a wave over the tech world. The question is not ‘if’ but ‘when.’
According to most industry insiders, it’s a sure thing. This exciting, new system of network
architecture is ideally suited to handle big data, cloud services, mobile security, and other challenges
of 21st century computing. The ultimate goal of SDN integration is to make your network faster and
more flexible. The list of advantages with SDN is long: more security, agility, fewer costs, more speed,
more customization. The buzz is real. Read on to learn how SDN is transforming our networking
landscape and how your company can get in on it.
North American enterprises project that
they will each spend an average of more
than $8 million on data center security
solutions in 2017.1
73% of organizations have already invested or
plan to invest in big data by 2016.2
Many organizations have server virtualization
rates that exceed 75 percent. 3
In a 2016 survey, 74% of U.S. businesses said
SDN-compatible data solutions are driving
spending.4
1 From the 2016 Data Center Security Strategies and Vendor Leadership: North
American Enterprise Survey by IHS Markit.
2 “Survey Analysis: Big Data Investment Grows but Deployments Remain Scarce in
2014,” Gartner Research.
3 Market Trends: x86 Server Virtualization, Worldwide, 2016, Gartner Research.
4 IHS Markit.
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
3
Time for an overhaul?
We have all experienced it. Frustration in the face of a seemingly
insurmountable problem: the old, outdated network just isn’t
working for you anymore.
While the rest of computing technology
has advanced at a rapid pace over the
past 30 years, network technology has,
for the most part, remained stagnant.
Chances are good that your network
infrastructure is in desperate need of
innovation.
Does this sound familiar? The application
team didn’t communicate clearly with the
networking team. A set of rules didn’t get
propagated throughout the whole network
infrastructure. This is what we call the
‘Plumbing Problem’ and it’s a huge issue for
networks. To retroactively go back in and try
to track down the misstep is a nightmare.
Let’s dig into how things go down:
• Speed: processing is slow, clunky, and
inefficient.
• Cost: it’s expensive. Changes are costly.
Expansions or upgrades are prohibitively
expensive and require shutdowns of the
entire system. That is, of course, assuming
that your vendors even offer customized
alternatives that work for your specific
problems.
• Security: with rapidly changing digital applications and environments, maintaining
a secure network is of the utmost importance. Yet, it is a logistical nightmare with
outmoded tools.
The result? A system that is static and
As a complicated labyrinth of switches, rout- difficult—if not impossible—to adapt. A
ers, and other hardware, traditional network
architecture has become an old, outdated, behemoth. The closed system allows for minimal modifications. Certain proprietary components often cannot be altered.
system completely ill-suited to today’s network conditions.
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
4
Networking Challenges
We are in the Era of Big Data. No kidding, right? The amount of
data we are processing every minute—every second—is difficult to
fathom.
Speed. Flexibility. Security. These are the minimum requirements of network computing
today. Fast, adaptable infrastructure is what we have come to expect as consumers. It is what
our businesses and customers require. To keep pace with the way in which our businesses
and customers use data, our networks need to be nimble and safe.
Can your network currently handle these challenges?
Variable traffic patterns Instantaneous changes in
traffic necessitate fast, dynamic network architecture.
Big Data The amount of data being processed every
minute requires bandwidth (a lot of it) and the ability to
add extra capacity when necessary.
Increases in virtualization and cloud services
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environment—
Everyone expects to be able to access all applications,
data, and IT resources on-demand, from any device.
Different devices, servers, and platforms demand
simultaneous use of the same infrastructure.
BY T HE N UMBERS
NETWORK COMPUTING IN THE ERA OF BIG DATA
• Data is growing faster than ever before and by the year 2020 about 1.7
megabytes of new information will be created every second for every human
being on the planet.1
• By 2020, at least a third of all data will pass through the cloud (a network of
servers connected over the Internet). 2
• More than 570 new websites are created every minute of the day. 3
1 From the IDC Digital Universe Study: Big Data, Bigger Digital Shadows and Biggest Growth in the Far East.
2 From Forbes.com.
3 From “Surprising Statistics About Big Data,” by Dennis McCafferty, Baseline Magazine, February 18, 2014.
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
A Paradigm Shift
What is SDN?
At its most basic, fundamental level, Software-Defined Networking is the physical separation of
a network’s control plane from its data plane. In SDN, the network is controlled by a separate
software application called a controller. This controller is customizable and is used by a network administrator to manage, configure, and optimize network performance. The goal is to be
able to programmatically solve any network challenges. You can identify a problem, analyze it,
and remediate it without any human intervention.
How is it different?
Traditionally, the network controls and rules for forwarding were built into the network switches. This made it hard to alter them in any way. SDN physically removes those rules from the
firmware. After virtual servers and virtual storage, SDN was the next natural step, combining
physical and virtual network infrastructure. SDN is not firmware. It is not a new collection of
pieces and parts. An SDN application is a recipe, a set of instructions telling the network how
to behave.
A Major Shift
SDN is a new paradigm—a major shift in how networks are configured and controlled. Providing agility, adaptability, and a global view of the network, SDN is a powerful, versatile tool.
5
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
6
How SDN works
In an SDN integrated network, the controller dictates how firmware
elements such as content servers, routers, switches, and gateways
behave. Where rules for packet handling were once built in to the
actual network components, with SDN, they are sent to the
component (the switch, router, etc.) via the controller application.
Application Layer
Business applications
Northbound API
Control Layer
Network Services
Southbound API
Infrastructure Layer
Compliant Operating System
Packet Forwarding Hardware
SDN: Software-Defined Networking
7
Getting started
The first step is to clearly define the problems you are trying to solve.
This is absolutely the hardest part but it is key to designing an effective solution. Once you have
outlined your IT needs and problems, your NWN consulting team will work with you to find the best
commercially available tools. We evaluate each tool not by cost but by the value that it provides. The
last step is implementation and deployment.
Not Ready Yet?
That’s ok. Here are a few ways to make sure that you can position your
business to choose the ‘best of breed’ tools when the time comes:
01
02
03
04
Start laying the groundwork now and put a plan in place for the future.
Understand and identify the problems in your current network infrastructure. Do
your research. Find out all you can about the latest SDN software solutions.
Make sure that you are implementing Open Standards protocols
At the same time, eliminate any use of proprietary protocols. This way, when you are
ready to make the leap to SDN, your current system will already be compatible.
Start implementing the management tools that involve Restful API and are
compliant with current SDN protocols.
Ensure that future purchases have documented interoperability with commercially
available tools.
Contact us
866.343.7668
271 Waverley Oaks Road
Waltham, MA 02452
781.472.3400
www.nwnit.com