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Colt's vision around Network Programmability leading towards true IT and Network integration. Colt being an active Open Networking Foundation member since April 2012, is adopting SDN as a core component of its long term vision leading to a more flexible, automated and cost effective network infrastructure that can follow a similar evolution as we have seen over the past decades in computing. This presentation covers the different areas for SDN applicability in Colt, looking at both the Data Centre as well as the WAN.
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© 2010 Colt Technology Services Group Limited. All rights reserved.
Colt’s Programmable Network VisionOpenFlow & Software-Defined NetworkingJavier Benitez, October 2012
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Agenda
About Colt
Introduction – Programmable Networks
IT & Network Integration - Colt’s Vision
Colt’s SDN Potential Applications
Summary
12345
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Colt – Europe’s Information Delivery Platform
• 35,000km high capacity long distance network
• Connecting 22 countries, 39 metro networks and >100 cities
• 19 (+1) data centres and 18,000 connected buildings
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Colt Data Networks Strategy
IntegratedIP/Optical
Core
ModularEthernet
OpticalCore
IP/MPLSCore
IPEdge/
AggregEthernet
Edge/AggregIP
CPE EthernetCPE
Optical LayerEthernet LayerIP LayerIntegrated Eth/IP Layer
EthernetCore
End-user / DC computeEnd-user / DC compute
CurrentNetwork Architecture
Target Network Architecture
IntelligentService
Edge
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Introduction – Programmable Networks• Networks have evolved into complex, inflexible and costly systems
– Main reasons: lack of networking principles and abstractions (control plane), lack of Network APIs
• In contrast, computing is heavily built on abstractions, supporting cloud paradigm (elasticity, scalability, on-demand, virtualisation)
• Programmable Networks: bring the computing paradigm to networking, allow application & network worlds to communicate– ONF - Software-Defined Networking: data & control plane separation,
standardisation of fundamental networking abstractions– IETF - Software-Driven Networking : Focus on network APIs to allow
applications and network to exchange information
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Application Layer
ONF – Software-Defined Networking
Business Applications
Control LayerSDNControlSoftware
Infrastructure Layer
Network Services
Network Device
Network Device
Network Device
Network Device
Network Device
API API API
Control Data Plane Interface(e.g., OpenFlow Protocol)
Automation
Rapid Innovation
Programmability
Reliability
Colt Joined ONF in Apr 2012
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Application Layer
IETF – Software-Driven Networking
Business Applications
Network APIs
Infrastructure Layer
ALT
O
Network Device
Network Device Network Device
API API API
BG
P-TE
PCE
Ope
nFlo
w
Man
agem
ent
Oth
er…
SDN Controller
Classical Control Plane(Routing Protocols)
Real Time Topology (ALTO / BGP-TE)
Path Computation (PCE)
Selecting Traffic (OpenFlow)
DC Network Virtualisation (nv03 overlay)
Unified Network API (i2aex)
i2aex
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IT & Network Integration – Colt’s Vision
The integration of the network and IT platforms from the service, technology, system and process point of view to deliver an end to end integrated customer experience (the Information Delivery Platform).
• A set of technical solutions • to flex single or multiple parts of the network• to direct traffic to specific locations• to prioritize traffic intelligently
• Can also be simulated with an usage based metering and billing commercial proposition
Network automation
and elasticity
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Cloud and Network ArchitectureCustomers
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SDN potential applications in the Colt network
Customer Network(OpenFlow-aware)
DataCentre
NetworkFabric
Controller
ApplicationIntelligence
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
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Metering and Billing
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SDN potential applications in the Colt network
Customer Network(OpenFlow-aware)
DataCentre
NetworkFabric
Controller
ApplicationIntelligence
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
ComputeInstance
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2
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Metering and Billing
DCFabric
• New (Generation 4) DC Fabric based on OpenFlow enabled switches
CCN(Cloud Centric
Network)
• Network Virtualisation: Virtual Network decoupled from physical hardware. VMs unrestricted placement & mobility. Dynamic network policies. Address Space virtualisation (VLAN/MAC/ACL). Network Virtual Services APIs
• Network Automation: Network APIs. Integrated Compute / Network orchestration
NLI / Mod MSP
• WAN Network (Optical/Ethernet/IP): End-to-end unified network abstraction allowing for true technology layer & vendor integration.
NLI: Network Layer IntegrationMod MSP: Modular Multi Vendor Carrier Ethernet
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Application I :
• The DC Fabric is the network that provides any-to-any connectivity inside the DC. Traditionally it has been divided into two separate networks: LAN (data) and SAN (storage)
• For the LAN traffic this has traditionally been an Ethernet switching infrastructure, layered in different tiers, running traditional switching protocols like STP.
• A lot of activity in the past 2/3 years by the industry to deliver new DC Fabrics, some proprietary, some standard-based (TRILL, IEEE 802.1aq). Main objective is to enhance traditional Ethernet bridging & enable converge (single network for LAN & SAN)
• SDN/OpenFlow is a technology that could be used to build the next generation DC Fabric for Colt, fully separating the data plane (L2/L3) from the control plane (software controller & network applications).
• Advantages of SDN/OpenFlow in DC Fabric: network programmability & virtualisation, networking gear cost reduction, rapid innovation in the DC, etc.
• The fact that DC Ethernet Fabric is a controlled network environment (typically single vendor/ single technology) allows for easier SDN/OpenFlow development.
DCFabric
• New (Generation 4) DC Fabric based on OpenFlow enabled switches
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Application II :
• The Network today is still very much static in the way bandwidth and connectivity are provisioned for DC customers.
• While compute resources are fully virtualised and can be provisioned, upgraded or adapted in a matter of minutes, network resources may be provisioned, upgraded or adapted in a matter of days, in the best case scenario.
• SDN/OpenFlow could provide:– Network Virtualisation: abstraction of the underlying physical network as a
generalised pool of switching capacity– Network Automation: true end-to-end bandwidth on demand, dynamic network
policies that follow the compute instances across the network and network orchestration integrated with the compute orchestration
• A centralised control function “programs” the logical network model to deliver the requested network virtualised services as per the cloud computing requirements
• The network in scope of CCN is end-to-end, covering not only Intra-DC (DC Fabric) but also the inter-DC WAN connectivity (Optical transport & L2/L3 packet networks)
• An SDN/Overlay is best suited at this point of time as can be deployed over any IP transport network
CCN• Cloud Centric Network• Network Virtualisation &
Automation:
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Application III :
• Colt is currently working on several projects driving integration in the WAN , both at the technology layer (NLI) as well as at multi-vendor layer (Modular MSP)
• Probably the biggest challenge for both is end-to-end interoperability due to:– The high degree of complexity in today’s network control plane, leads vendors to
having to develop proprietary solutions to deliver demanding applications like Carrier Ethernet
– Control plane across different technologies (Ethernet and MPLS for instance) can be different; end-to-end control functionality sometimes not standard, leading to the same result of having proprietary implementations
• SDN will bring (long term!) full end-to-end unified network abstraction allowing for true technology layer as well as vendor integration … and delivering much greater innovation rate for the future!
• The same SDN/OpenFlow benefits identified for the CCN will be targeted for the WAN:– Network Virtualisation & Automation
NLI / Mod MSP
• End-to-end unified network abstraction allowing for true technology layer & vendor integration.
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Summary
• SDN/OpenFlow is in its very early days. Mainly a research topic, with some limited commercial implementations in the form of basic OpenFlow switches
• Network Programmability (in the form of SDN/OpenFlow or others like IETF) fits extremely well within Colt’s strategy to integrate IT & Network– SDN isn't purely about network & technology but also about re-inventing OSS and
orchestration/automation
• Colt initially foresees applicability in the DC space (DC Fabric & network virtualisation for cloud services)– SDN & Network Programmability will be a key requirement in Colt’s CCN project
delivering the Next Generation DC Architecture for Colt
• But, Network Programmability/SDN will eventually move to the WAN as well (see what Google did!)– Colt has already started to analyse use cases for the WAN (Optical/Ethernet/IP): NLI
& Mod MSP
© 2010 Colt Technology Services Group Limited. All rights reserved.© 2010 Colt Telecom Group Limited. All rights reserved.
Questions? Thanks
Javier Benitez, [email protected]
