Bach Seat

In a recent article “SDN Spreads Its Wings And Starts To Fly” on No Jitter Bob Emmerson writes that for Software Defined Networks (SDN) to take off and live up to its promise of a new area in ICT, an enterprise based ecosystem with key enterprise players must develop. He does not believe that SDN has made sufficient inroads into the enterprise, he writes, “.. so far most of the emphasis in Software Defined Networks (SDN) has been the virtual network architecture,” he continues, that the potential of SDN requires the enterprise, ” … the emergence of a new ICT era … can only come–via an ecosystem comprising key players in the enterprise space.”

Mr. Emmerson writes that SDN makes the network more valuable to the organization. “No longer is the networking infrastructure viewed as merely providing fast connectivity between users, servers, and storage.”

He explains that in an SDN-enabled network features are applications that run as individual processes and software packages on Ethernet switches. They can be downloaded when more services and features are required. There are also extensive scripting capabilities as well additional layers of intelligence that perform tasks like identity management to integrate security and policy enforcement that identifies, locates, and authenticates connected devices and users.

The centralized management platforms use network-level intelligence to replace the duties performed by a PC’s Operating System. These platforms automate tasks, like assigning profiles, and they also allow resources to be added, dropped, or relocated via a Web interface.

The article argues that SDN can be used to converge networks. With SDN he argues that 6 networks can be converged on top of the regular wide-area infrastructure. He proposes that enterprises can converge their WLAN/BYOD, Unified Communications (UC), Physical Security for surveillance, Audio-Video Bridging, and HPC into a single network with SDN. These “silo” solutions become part of a single unified edge in an SDN environment. The network OS will immediately recognize new devices, phones, access points, or switches that use the OpenFlow communications protocol, and they will be configured automatically. This feature also applies to new employees as well as those that get a new position in the company. Rights will be assigned automatically according to their job title.

Network 1. WLAN/BYOD: The author predicts a new generation of Access Points (APs) that lowers the cost of deploying and operating a secure, reliable 802.11n WLAN, by using SDN acts as a virtual controller and coordinate the operation of neighboring APs. The SDN virtual controller handles BYOD and other security issues automatically. When a new device is detected, the relevant privileges and policies, determined by the network administrator for the device owner are granted automatically. No other process is required.

Network 2. Unified Communications: UC is a particularly interesting application according to the article. The article states that SDN can address concerns about bandwidth-hungry services like video streaming impacting other media. The issue can be addressed in real-time. If congestion is detected, then the management platform will dynamically allocate additional resources for the duration of the session. It’s that simple Mr. Emmerson concludes.

Network 3. Physical Security: On the physical security network, No Jitter reports that software intelligence embedded in the operating system automates tasks including IP surveillance camera and device discovery, configuration, authentication, power management via Power over Ethernet, and network policy assignment. Automated device discovery is enabled via LLDP.

Network 4. Audio-Video Bridging: Mr. Emmerson says that AVB technology is available on the switches. If AVB is available on network switches (rb- You may want to check with Cisco (CSCO) on the cost of their AV systems before you put it on a switch the TX9000 costs like $300,000.00) If you can swing the money, benefits include reduced complexity of cabling and installations, interoperability between networking devices, and a reduced need for complex network setup and management. The infrastructure negotiates and manages the network for optimal prioritized media transport.

Network 5. High-Performance Computing: The No Jitter article says that High-Performance Computing (HPC) can use SDN to eliminate the Fiber Channel network typically used to connect big data storage to HPC boxes. The author claims that the high-speed, low-latency communications needed by HPC can now be met with 40 Gbps Ethernet in the data center and SDN. He says, “Fiber Channel can go away.”

rb-

Mr. Emmerson concludes that SDN can solve many of the evils that plague IT. He writes that “SDN enables the consolidation of all the various network types that enterprises employ, and it automates many of the routine management tasks. In turn, this results in the ability to run more efficient communications tasks and to operate in a unified corporate environment.” (rb- especially if you use Extreme (EXTR) equipment)

I do agree with several other conclusions he makes in the article. He says that SDN is an IT game-changer, “The game it’s changing is the closed, proprietary world of networking with its vertically integrated hardware, slow innovation and artificially high margins: a world that hasn’t changed much for decades.” Did I almost hear the C_ _ _o word in there?

He breathlessly concludes that all that ails IT will be cured by SDN, “… the benefits of managing one network instead of different silos, the real-time automation of configuration and resource allocations tasks, and the tight integration of devices and the network will lead to efficiencies of scale and facilitate the development of next-generation services. SDN is enabling IT to make better use of corporate resources: to do more while operating in an era of tight budgets and a problematic economy.” Yeah but there also has to be someone to break down the silos and get the video guys and the facilities guys to give up some of their turf and headcount.

What do you think?

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• Network Security Considerations for SDN (thethreatvector.wordpress.com)

Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.