Network virtualization
Encyclopedia
In computing, Network Virtualization is the process of combining hardware and software network resources and network functionality into a single, software-based administrative entity, a virtual network
. Network virtualization involves platform virtualization, often combined with resource virtualization.
Network virtualization is categorized as either external, combining many networks, or parts of networks, into a virtual unit, or internal, providing network-like functionality to the software containers on a single system. Whether virtualization is internal or external depends on the implementation provided by vendors that support the technology.
Following is a survey of common network virtualization scenarios and examples of vendor implementation of these scenarios.
. Using VLAN and switch technology, the system administrator can configure systems physically attached to the same local network into different virtual networks. Conversely, VLAN technology enables the system administrator to combine systems on separate local networks into a VLAN spanning the segments of a large corporate network.
domain, combined with hypervisor
control programs or pseudo-interfaces such as the VNIC, to create a “network in a box.” This solution improves overall efficiency of a single system by isolating applications to separate containers and/or pseudo interfaces. More information on management of network virtualization could be found at .
have built a Virtual Network Stack combining Vyatta's routing, firewall and IPsec VPN functionality with Citrix Netscaler load balancer, Branch Repeater WAN optimization and Access Gateway SSL VPN. The vNetworkStack project is defining entire virtualized network architectures for branch offices, datacenters and cloud computing environments.
OpenSolaris
network virtualization features (see OpenSolaris Network Virtualization and Resource Control
) enable the "network in the box" scenario. The features of the OpenSolaris Crossbow Project provide the ability for containers such as zones or virtual machines on a single system to share resources and exchange data. Major Crossbow features include VNIC pseudo-interfaces and virtual switches, which emulate network connectivity by enabling containers to exchange data without having to pass that data onto the external network.
Microsoft Virtual Server
uses virtual machines such as those provided by Xen
to create a network in the box scenario for x86 systems. These containers can run different operating systems, such as Windows
or Linux
, and be associated with or independent of a system's NIC.
provides products that offer both internal and external network virtualization only. VMware's basic approach is network in the box on a single system, using virtual machines that are managed by hypervisor software. VMware then provides its VMware Infrastructure
software to connect and combine networks in multiple boxes into an external virtualization scenario.
Virtual network
A virtual network is a computer network that consists, at least in part, of virtual network links. A virtual network link is a link that does not consist of a physical connection between two computing devices but is implemented using methods of network virtualization.The two most common forms of...
. Network virtualization involves platform virtualization, often combined with resource virtualization.
Network virtualization is categorized as either external, combining many networks, or parts of networks, into a virtual unit, or internal, providing network-like functionality to the software containers on a single system. Whether virtualization is internal or external depends on the implementation provided by vendors that support the technology.
Components of a virtual network
Various equipment and software vendors offer network virtualization by combining any of the following:- Network hardware, such as switches and network adapters, also known as network interface cards (NICs)
- Network elements such as Firewalls, Load Balancers
- Networks, such as virtual LANVirtual LANA virtual local area network, virtual LAN or VLAN, is a group of hosts with a common set of requirements that communicate as if they were attached to the same broadcast domain, regardless of their physical location...
s (VLANs) and containers such as virtual machineVirtual machineA virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...
s (VMs) and Solaris ContainersSolaris ContainersSolaris Containers is an implementation of operating system-level virtualization technology for x86 and SPARC systems, first released publicly in February 2004 in build 51 beta of Solaris 10, and subsequently in the first full release of Solaris 10, 2005.It is present in newer OpenSolaris based... - Network storage devices
- Network M2M elements such as Telecommunications 4G HLR and SLR devices
- Network Mobile elements such as Laptops, Tablets and Cell Phones
- Network media, such as EthernetEthernetEthernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
and Fibre ChannelFibre ChannelFibre Channel, or FC, is a gigabit-speed network technology primarily used for storage networking. Fibre Channel is standardized in the T11 Technical Committee of the InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards , an American National Standards Institute –accredited standards...
Following is a survey of common network virtualization scenarios and examples of vendor implementation of these scenarios.
External network virtualization
Some vendors offer external network virtualization, in which one or more local networks are combined or subdivided into virtual networks, with the goal of improving the efficiency of a large corporate network or data center. The key components of an external virtual network are the VLAN and the network switchNetwork switch
A network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments.The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the data link layer of the OSI model...
. Using VLAN and switch technology, the system administrator can configure systems physically attached to the same local network into different virtual networks. Conversely, VLAN technology enables the system administrator to combine systems on separate local networks into a VLAN spanning the segments of a large corporate network.
Internal network virtualization
Other vendors offer internal network virtualization. Here a single system is configured with containers, such as the XenXen
Xen is a virtual-machine monitor providing services that allow multiple computer operating systems to execute on the same computer hardware concurrently....
domain, combined with hypervisor
Hypervisor
In computing, a hypervisor, also called virtual machine manager , is one of many hardware virtualization techniques that allow multiple operating systems, termed guests, to run concurrently on a host computer. It is so named because it is conceptually one level higher than a supervisory program...
control programs or pseudo-interfaces such as the VNIC, to create a “network in a box.” This solution improves overall efficiency of a single system by isolating applications to separate containers and/or pseudo interfaces. More information on management of network virtualization could be found at .
Examples of internal network virtualization
Citrix and VyattaVyatta
Vyatta manufactures an open source router/firewall/VPN product for Internet Protocol networks . A free download of Vyatta has been available since March 2006. The system is a specialized Debian-based Linux distribution with networking applications such as Quagga, OpenVPN, and many others...
have built a Virtual Network Stack combining Vyatta's routing, firewall and IPsec VPN functionality with Citrix Netscaler load balancer, Branch Repeater WAN optimization and Access Gateway SSL VPN. The vNetworkStack project is defining entire virtualized network architectures for branch offices, datacenters and cloud computing environments.
OpenSolaris
OpenSolaris
OpenSolaris was an open source computer operating system based on Solaris created by Sun Microsystems. It was also the name of the project initiated by Sun to build a developer and user community around the software...
network virtualization features (see OpenSolaris Network Virtualization and Resource Control
OpenSolaris Network Virtualization and Resource Control
OpenSolaris network virtualization and resource control is a set of OpenSolaris features, currently under development by Sun Microsystems as an open source project...
) enable the "network in the box" scenario. The features of the OpenSolaris Crossbow Project provide the ability for containers such as zones or virtual machines on a single system to share resources and exchange data. Major Crossbow features include VNIC pseudo-interfaces and virtual switches, which emulate network connectivity by enabling containers to exchange data without having to pass that data onto the external network.
Microsoft Virtual Server
Microsoft Virtual Server
Microsoft Virtual Server is a virtualization solution that facilitates the creation of virtual machines on the Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. Originally developed by Connectix, it was acquired by Microsoft prior to release...
uses virtual machines such as those provided by Xen
Xen
Xen is a virtual-machine monitor providing services that allow multiple computer operating systems to execute on the same computer hardware concurrently....
to create a network in the box scenario for x86 systems. These containers can run different operating systems, such as Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
or Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, and be associated with or independent of a system's NIC.
Combined internal and external network virtualization
Some vendors offer both internal and external network virtualization software in their product line. For example, Machine-To-Machine Intelligence (M2MI) technology covers both Internal, External and Multi-vendor software and hardware based technologies. M2MI is unique in its approach of applying "whitelist" blocking across all multi-vendor network elements, this approach ensures that Virtual Machines can not be "ARP spoofed", a technique used to compromise Virtual Machines at the network level. VMwareVMware
VMware, Inc. is a company providing virtualization software founded in 1998 and based in Palo Alto, California, USA. The company was acquired by EMC Corporation in 2004, and operates as a separate software subsidiary ....
provides products that offer both internal and external network virtualization only. VMware's basic approach is network in the box on a single system, using virtual machines that are managed by hypervisor software. VMware then provides its VMware Infrastructure
VMware Infrastructure
VMware Infrastructure 3 is a suite of computer hardware virtualization products from VMware, Inc. . The suite includes:* VMware ESX Server version 3* VMware ESXi version 3.x...
software to connect and combine networks in multiple boxes into an external virtualization scenario.
Network virtualization initiatives
- Global Environment for Network Innovations
- Future Internet Research and ExperimentationFuture Internet Research and ExperimentationFuture Internet Research and Experimentation is a program funded by the European Union with the objective to do research on the internet, its prospects, and its future.-External links:**...
- AKARI ProjectAKARI ProjectThe AKARI Architecture Design Project is a large project for designing New Generation Network Architecture and is supported by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology of Japan. The name comes from the Japanese word Akari, which means "A small light "...
See also
- AvocentAvocentAvocent, a business of Emerson Network Power, is an information technology products manufacturer headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. Avocent was formed in 2000 from the merger of the world’s two largest KVM switch manufacturers: Apex and Cybex Computer Products Corporation...
- Network switchNetwork switchA network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments.The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the data link layer of the OSI model...
- Platform virtualization
- Virtual LANVirtual LANA virtual local area network, virtual LAN or VLAN, is a group of hosts with a common set of requirements that communicate as if they were attached to the same broadcast domain, regardless of their physical location...
- Virtual machineVirtual machineA virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...
- Virtual private networkVirtual private networkA virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
- I/O virtualizationI/O virtualizationInput/output virtualization is a methodology to simplify management, lower costs and improve performance of servers in enterprise environments...