Network Management Challenge
Network management today is a muddle of products that require different modules to address tasks such as LAN switching, provisioning, and wireless management. Each module focuses on its own task without much awareness of other systems, making it difficult for IT to get a clear, real-time picture of the entire network. By using the centralized controller, SDN and OpenFlow provide better control and visibility.
Network management also lacks APIs that are properly formatted for software developers. SNMP, the workhorse protocol for network management, just isn't suitable to provide rich, formatted data for applications to work with, nor is it suitable for configuring network devices. By contrast, OpenFlow provides XML-based data exchange between devices and controllers that can be extended and easily integrated into programming languages. This means network management tools should be able to tap into XML-based data, allowing for better visibility and management.
While SDN and OpenFlow promise a more granular and open system, it remains to be seen whether they can replace existing management tools. The technology is still immature and lacks sufficient adoption to be sure.
Other standards might bring similar benefits with less disruption. The relatively new standard Transparent Interconnect of Lots of Links (TRILL) changes enabling Layer 2 multipathing in Ethernet LANs, which helps eliminate choke points, increases usable bandwidth, and better supports the multidirectional movement of virtualized workloads. New tunneling protocols such as VXLAN/NVGRE are addressing the need for virtual server mobility. The soon-to-be-ratified IEEE 802.1BR, commonly known as EVB, will standardize virtual Ethernet bridging, which should let virtual and physical switches communicate about servers, VLANs, and quality-of-service requirements. That would maker it easier for admins to respond when hypervisors move from one physical machine to another.
There also are standards meant to make it easier to configure devices from multiple vendors. For instance, the IETF has ratified XML-based protocols such NETCONF and YANG, which provide better capabilities for remote administration and can serve up richer data to management software.
A Long Road To SDN
The SDN and OpenFlow's potential benefits are significant: more flexible networks, simpler administration, and less expensive hardware. But the benefits are only promises. While several networking vendors support OpenFlow, and startup Big Switch Networks has an OpenFlow-based controller in a beta release, the protocol is still in its infancy.
Companies with enormous data centers, such as Google and Verizon, will probably be the first to pick up SDN and OpenFlow because they can realize substantial savings in network hardware and administration costs. If the technology proves itself, it will be more widely adopted in mainstream IT environments.
Pay attention now, though. Whether you completely revise your network to support a controller-based infrastructure or adopt existing protocols to improve network flexibility and responsiveness, you may soon find that you no longer need to manually configure VLANs and switch ports.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
