This presentation, given at the 2013 Indianapolis VMware User Conference on July 25, discusses the relationship between SDN and network virtualization, and highlights the value of the right abstraction in network virtualization.

1. Scott Lowe, VCDX
Engineering Architect
Network & Security Business Unit, VMware, Inc.
SDN, Network Virtualization, and the
Right Abstraction
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2. Before we get started
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§Get involved! Audience participation is encouraged
and requested.
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§This presentation will be made available online after
the event

3. Your name is familiar...
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4. Virtualization in networking isn’t new
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§Virtual LANs (VLANs)
§Virtual private networks (VPNs)
§Virtual routing and forwarding (VRF)
§MPLS
§SPB/PBB/QinQ
§Virtual device contexts (VDCs)

5. So why are we talking about
network virtualization?
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6. Looking at compute virtualization
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§Multiple forms of virtualization existed in x86-based
computing before VMware
§ 80386 “protected mode”
§ Virtual memory
§ Application virtual machines (e.g., JVM)
§ Remote presentation (X Window System)
§These were all important developments, but...
None of them had the power to change the
operational model.

7. How compute virtualization changed
with VMware
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§VMware introduced a new abstraction: the virtual
machine (VM)

8. Why is the VM important?
§The VM abstraction encompassed other virtualization
technologies, but enabled operational change
§Operational change enabled customers to address
pain points (speed of provisioning, for example)
§ Now users could easily create VMs, destroy VMs, clone
VMs, start/stop/pause VMs
§ VMs encouraged more standardized configurations
§Success encouraged adoption; adoption encouraged
ecosystem development (positive feedback loop)
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9. So what does this have to do with
network virtualization?
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10. A plethora of networking technologies
are out there
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11. A plethora of networking technologies
are out there
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Merchant silicon
OpenFlow
Northbound APIs
Open vSwitch
Network overlays
SDN
SDN controllers
OpenStack Networking
Fabrics
STT
VXLAN
NVGRE
SR-IOV
TRILL
LISP

12. What’s needed is the right abstraction
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§The right abstraction—the virtual network—lets us
change the operational model
§Changing the operational model brings benefits:
§ Greater speed and agility
§ Lower operational overhead
§ Decreased capital expenditures
§ But...it’s really about greater speed & agility

13. VMware NSX provides the right
abstraction—the virtual network—to
enable operational change that
addresses pain points and meets
business needs.
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14. Looking a bit deeper at VMware NSX
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15. Questions & Answers
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16. Please don’t forget to provide feedback to the VMUG
leaders on today’s sessions!
Thank You
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