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Software-defined networking (SDN) is an approach that enables the programmatic and dynamic control of a network. SDN networks are composed of simple network elements that contain an agent interface by which the data plane functions can be loaded by a network controller. SDN is all about separating the control plane, i.e. the layer where the network behavior is defined and managed, from the data plane, the layer where the packets are processed. Network function virtualization (NFV) is about virtualizing network functions which are normally deployed on dedicated hardware platforms (e.g. routers, load balancers, firewalls, etc.) delivered by specialized telco vendors. The network functions are then run as virtual appliances on commodity hardware (IT servers) instead, often connected with DPDK and SR-IOV.

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NETWORKS

SDN vs traditional networks: revolution or evolution?

SDN is definitely a buzzword in the networking world. Software-defined networks are now gaining momentum among enterprises. But is this a truly disruptive technology that is going to replace legacy networks? Or is it a logical step forward in the evolution of the network? In this blog post I will discuss these questions. As I see it in the introduction to SDN, this is an evolutionary step for networks, not a revolution. Considering the benefits SDN technology offers or even starting to adopt it does not mean sweeping aside the traditional network as we know it.
Monika Antoniak

Monika Antoniak

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NETWORKS

What are the benefits of SD-WAN? In a word, legion

Software-defined WAN is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason—it effectively solves a number of important challenges posed by traditional WAN architecture. Reduced costs, increased application performance, more flexible network topology, faster deployment and improved security are the main benefits SD-WAN offers. Read on to learn more.A WAN, or Wide Area Network, is the computer network spanning a wide geographical area (regions, countries or even world). You need a WAN when you have a number of geographically distributed local networks that need to communicate with each other.
Krzysztof Wróbel

Krzysztof Wróbel

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NETWORKS

Edge computing and virtualization — living on the edge

Cloud offers considerable benefits to businesses. Yet in some cases where low latency is critical, it has serious drawbacks. An emerging paradigm of edge computing is the answer to these problems. In 2016, Cisco announced the beginning of the Zettabyte Era. Since then, the amount of data produced and processed has increased zettafold, if you will. This is especially true when you look at M2M applications (machine-to-machine or more commonly referred to as Internet of Things—IoT) such as video surveillance, healthcare monitoring, the smart home, smart meters and the like.
Jarosław Ganczarenko

Jarosław Ganczarenko

Thumbnail of an article about The difference between SDN and NFV — a simple guide
NETWORKS

The difference between SDN and NFV — a simple guide

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) technologies are similar and can easily be mistaken for one another. Given their growing popularity of late, it is good to know what SDN and NFV stand for, why they are so popular and what business benefits you can expect from them. In 2016, Cisco published the report “The Zettabyte Era: Trends and Analysis” announcing that by the end of 2016 annual global IP traffic would pass a zettabyte. To be mathematically precise, a zettabyte is a measure of storage capacity equal to 1021 (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) bytes.
Jarosław Ganczarenko

Jarosław Ganczarenko

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NETWORKS

Seamlessly transitioning to CNFs with Tungsten Fabric

Cloud-native Network Functions (CNFs), by all appearances, seem to be the next big trend in network architecture. They are a logical step forward in the evolution of network architecture. Networks were initially based on physical hardware like routers, load balancers and firewalls. Such physical equipment was then replaced by today’s standard, VMs to create Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs). Now, a lot of research is going into moving these functions into containers. In such a scenario, a container orchestration platform would be responsible for hosting CNFs.
Jarosław Ganczarenko

Jarosław Ganczarenko

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NETWORKS

Uncontainerizable VNFs in a CNF environment

Cloud-native network functions (CNFs, for short) are a hot topic in network architecture. CNFs use containers as the base for network functions and thus would replace today’s most widely used standard, Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). In such a scenario, a container orchestration platform--Kubernetes, say--could be responsible not only for orchestrating the containers, but also for directing network traffic to proper pods. While this remains an area under research, it has aroused considerable interest among industry leaders.
Piotr Skamruk

Piotr Skamruk

Thumbnail of an article about Infographic: The NFV MANO model in practice
NETWORKS

Infographic: The NFV MANO model in practice

Please bear in mind that this infographic does not pretend to present a complete and ultimate mapping. It is only our vision based on the specific products. Since it is tough to precisely map the existing solutions, the model itself should be treated as an approximation. The elements presented are only examples and obviously do not show every solution available on the market. We are always eager to discuss this subject and consider different points of view.
Monika Antoniak

Monika Antoniak

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NETWORKS

SDN Security: Five reasons SDN is more secure than legacy networks

Great malware infections hit hard in 2017, leading to new cybersecurity concerns. As malware evolves, so too do networks and SDN and NFV solutions, which may be a good response to increasing threats. Let's talk about SDN security. According to the Cisco Annual Cybersecurity Report 2018, WannaCry and NotPetya were the most devastating ransomware attacks launched in 2017. WannaCry spread throughout institutions, including the Spanish telecom Telefonica, FedEx and Deutche Bahn while NotPetya hit Ukrainian banks, companies and the international logistics giant Maersk.
Michał Pik

Michał Pik

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NETWORKS
CLOUD

Five cloud challenges solved by Software Defined Networking (SDN)

As purchasing more and more gear becomes an outdated way to upscale, companies outsource computing power from a the cloud. However, organizations struggle to combine their physical servers and cloud resources into a single efficient, integrated network. This article runs through some of the main concerns about the cloud. It addresses how SDN technology solves them and how it can support a company in managing its cloud services and internal resources. Empowering old-style on-prem infrastructure with SDNs allows companies to tackle their most pressing challenges in building a hybrid cloud.
Konrad Budek

Konrad Budek

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