The New Normal in Networking Technology
Credit: Firas
Recent technological innovations have changed the face of computing. Users routinely access software, servers, their desktops, and data in the cloud. Software-defined networking solutions are changing the networking side of the equation. IT administrators are increasingly turning to software-defined networking (SDN) to configure their networks, increase agility, improve performance, and reduce costs.
According to Aryaka, SDN is often described as “network architecture with roots in the data center where Layer 2 technologies dominate.” However, addressing the datacenter alone only solves one part of the problem. With global networks, in order to realize the full benefits of SDN, programmability must extend across the WAN.
This thought is backed up by an article featured on IT World Canada, Prepare for the Reinvented Network. SDN essentially separates the data and control layers and removes them from the router. Various network functions such as intrusion detection and network address translation are removed from appliances and handled using software. However, because most business processes are not limited to the datacenter and must transverse the WAN, the WAN has the potential to become a weak link.
Thus, software-defined networking needs to extend beyond the datacenter and address the larger issues associated with global networks. This new normal in networking technology is starting to get noticed by CEO’s and entrepreneurs alike. They are continuing to invest in their network infrastructure to ensure optimal performance of their SDN to improve their networks. SDN and cloud-computing issues are similar to those previously solved by content delivery networks (CDNs) in the past.
For example, CDNs cache content around the world so that content can be delivered more efficiently to users. These local caches reduce global network traffic across expensive wide area networks and improve performance. A truly global network is optimized for WAN performance. Users connect to the closest Point of Presence (POP) using a standard IPSEC VPN device and gain immediate access to a fully optimized WAN.
Networking is currently being reinvented with many IT administrators adopting software-defined networking solutions. While improvements in the datacenter are crucial, the entire WAN as a whole should not be overlooked. Global networks by vendors such as Aryaka take SDN concepts and applies them to the WAN, solving the problem with WANs becoming the weakest link in software-defined networking.
Works Cited:
IT World Canada, “Prepare for the ‘reinvented’ network,” – http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/prepare-for-the-reinvented-network/100994
Aryaka, “Why SDN concepts need to extend into the WAN,” – http://www.aryaka.com/why-sdn-concepts-need-to-extend-into-the-wan/
