BREAK OUT OF THE NETWORK UPGRADE CYCLE OF THE PASTModernize Your Network with a Software-First Approach

The Network Is Undergoing a Transformation The network is a crucial part of daily IT operations—yet many teams are still spending more time managing complexity than innovating. In a traditional hardware-first approach, application security is bolted on after the fact, and networks must guess what the application needs, which can lead to security gaps.

Physical networks will continue to be an important part of any infrastructure—but hardware alone can’t adequately connect and protect short-lived and dynamic workflows, including applications that are so important to modern businesses. IT teams using a hardware-centric model will continue to struggle.

A modern, software-first approach to networking and security can help you solve these challenges and move projects forward, aligning IT activities with business goals.

INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

They’re now beingdriven by modernization initiatives and security concerns.

NETWORKREQUIREMENTSARE NO LONGERDEFINED BY SPEEDSAND FEEDS

HARDWARE-FIRSTSTRATEGIES PUT ITAT A DISADVANTAGE

Hardware alone can’tgo to places like public clouds and managed environments.

THE DIGITAL ERAGOES WHERE PHYSICALNETWORKSCAN’T FOLLOW

Complex silos andslow, manual processes cause productivityto drop.

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Putting Software in the Lead Makes Your Hardware Shine Putting software in the lead helps your hardware-centric network perform better, so it can deliver the agility and flexibility you need to prepare for the future. Software works hand in hand with your existing hardware investments, allowing you to get the best of both worlds—and save on costly, complex hardware upgrade cycles.

Why adopt a software-first strategy for your network?

Manage complexity

Speed time to value

Make business-critical projects operationally

feasible

Enables an operationally elegant, more secure

physical network

A modern, software-first approach to networking and security can help you solve these challenges and move projects forward, aligning IT activities with business goals.

INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

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Avoid These Pitfalls to Make a Seamless TransitionThe networking status quo has already changed as hardware-centric networks try, and fail, to adapt. But navigating the path to a simple, elegant model can be confusing. Not all software-led networking solutions have the benefits you need to support the business—and with budget and time constraints, you can’t afford to make these common, yet avoidable, mistakes.

Your software-led networking solution should NOT:

Bolt application-centric models onto hardware solutions. Tying application-centric requirements to physical hardware doesn’t allow you to build networking and security into applications. It also adds significant complexities to past and current environments.

Blur the lines between virtual and physical controls. Dual control of the same components can lead to a lack of visibility, as different levels of the physical and virtual infrastructure are unaware of what the other is doing. This requires you to create a strategy for how to troubleshoot outages if there are multiple control points.

Underestimate the importance of people, process, and tooling. When it comes to modern networking, the technology is only one component of a good solution. Pay close attention to people, processes, and management tools at every stage. They all need to work together for a seamless, consistent, and secure network.

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INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

Break Out of the Network Upgrade Cycle As physical infrastructure ages, IT organizations often believe they need to upgrade it to keep up with customer and business demands. But a bigger hardware budget won’t help—in fact, it may add more complexity. In contrast, a software-led model allows you to manage complexities that every successful organization faces.

The right software-first approach will:

Build security into the network. The use of micro-segmentation enabled by network virtualization makes security intrinsic to the network, securing connections at the closest point to the application.

Secure applications with context. A software-led approach makes the network more secure, because it knows information about users, devices, and environments. This context eliminates the guesswork that happens with bolted-on security, and improves security of both the apps and the network.

Provide a new approach to managing complexity. When your network knows the applications, it can tie the past to the future automatically, thereby reducing complexities and improving consistency.

Prepare you for the future. Software-led networking is flexible and agile. Even as the digital landscape continues to evolve, software can move right along with it to keep your applications connected, secure, and high-performing.

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INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

A Comprehensive Solution Sets You Up for Success In every growing organization, the network must handle new complexities all the time. Business demands continue to change, environments keep on multiplying, and security only grows more challenging. With the right software-led strategy, you can get more value out of the hardware you already have, and also gain a consistent model for the future.

VMware NSX® solutions deliver a software-first approach, with pervasive, end-to-end security and connectivity for apps and data, wherever they are—from data center to cloud to edge. The NSX platform helps you solve for complexity, with intrinsic security that protects both older workloads and the newest applications.

As businesses embrace digital transformation, they are recognizing that networks must adapt to software-first, agile practices. VMware is the innovator and industry leader in virtual data center environments, and offers the most complete portfolio to meet that need.

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82% of Fortune 100 companies run VMware NSX*

Internal VMware Analysis, August 2018; *Fortune 500 Companies, 2018

100

INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

Drive Better Results with VMware NSX SolutionsA software-driven network with NSX can help you speed time to value, boost security, and reduce complexity. It improves network hardware you already have by bringing new levels of intelligence and flexibility that you need to meet the demands of today and tomorrow.

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100% 10x EASIER

10x STRONGEREast-West traffic secured

network operations & management1

security posture2

1. VMware: Core NSX functionality compared to points of management: APIC, N9K, Hardware upgrades, features tied to hardware, AVE, Tetration, Tetration Agents, CAE, Multi-site orchestrator, Protocols (GOLF), disjointed partner redirections, vPODS.

2. VMware: NSX out of box security postured compared to: Stateful L4, App-IDs, VDI, RDSH, Agentless AV, Service insertion, ARM, Stateful for containers, DFW across sites, DR/SRM Integration vs. Stateless EPGs at ToR.

INTRODUCTION | WHY SOFTWARE-FIRST? | PITFALLS TO AVOID | HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE | SUMMARY

The Future at Your FingertipsAs requirements, applications, and digital models continue to emerge, IT organizations must develop a networking and security strategy that allows them to not only meet current demands, but continually manage new complexities as they occur. A software-led approach to networking is no longer an option—it’s a necessity. And the sooner you adopt it, the sooner you’ll see the benefits it brings.

With VMware NSX solutions, you can get more value out of your existing hardware and create a solid networking foundation for your organization. VMware NSX is the networking and security platform that makes your top IT initiatives operationally feasible. Its software-led approach builds security into your network and applications from the start—and positions you for whatever comes next.

VMware, Inc. 3401 Hillview Avenue Palo Alto CA 94304 USA Tel 877-486-9273 Fax 650-427-5001 www.vmware.comCopyright © 2018 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. VMware products are covered by one or more patents listed at http://www.vmware.com/go/patents. VMware is a registered trademark or trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. Item No: CS-0065_VM_Break-Out-of-the-Network-Upgrade-Cycle-of-the-Past 10/05

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