Arista Software Driven Cloud Networking
SDCN:
Arista Software Driven Cloud Networking (SDCN), combines the principles that have made cloud computing the unstoppable force that it is: automation, self service provisioning, and linear scaling of both performance and economics coupled with the recent trend in Software Driven Cloud Networking that delivers: network virtualization, custom programmability, simplified architectures, and more realistic price points to the table. This combination creates a best-in-class software foundation for maximizing the value of the network to both the enterprise and service provider data center: a new architecture for the most mission-critical location within the IT infrastructure that simplifies management and provisioning, speeds up service delivery, lowers costs and creates opportunities for competitive differentiation, while putting control and visibility back in the hands of the network and systems administrators.
Featured Video: Network Provisioning
The Four Pillars of Arista's Software Driven Cloud Networking are:
Pillar 1: Universal Cloud Network
- Scalable standards-based MLAG for L2, ECMP for Layer 3
- Non Blocking Spline™ / Leaf-Spine for 50K-100K hosts
Pillar 2: Cloud Control
- Standards Based EOS with AEM, ZTP / ZTR, LANZ, DANZ, RAIL etc.
- Automated Monitoring
Pillar 3: Network Wide Virtualization
- Multi Vendor API Support with eAPI
- Support for VMware and NSX with VXLAN and VMTracer
- Support for Microsoft OMI
Pillar 4: Network Applications & Automated Management
- Network Applications for workload mobility, smart systems upgrade and telemetry
- Single Point of Management with no proprietary lock in CloudVision
- Open- OpenFlow, OpenStack, OpenVirtual Switch, OVSDB and others
OpenWorkload:
OpenWorkload is a network application enabling open workload portability, automation through integration with leading virtualization and orchestration systems, and simplified troubleshooting by offering complete physical and virtual visibility.
Seamless Scaling - full support for network virtualization, connecting to major SDN controllers
Integrated Orchestration - interfaces to VMware, OpenStack, Microsoft, Chef, Puppet, Ansible and more to simplify provisioning
Workload Visibility to the VM-level, enabling portable policies, persistent monitoring, and rapid troubleshooting of cloud networks.
Featured Video: EOS Network Applications
Designed to integrate with VMware, OpenStack and Microsoft OMI, Arista’s open architecture allows for integration with any virtualization and orchestration system. Built on top of the Arista Unified Cloud Network - enabling end-to-end network virtualization now workloads can be portable while preserving their addressing and policies - this enables simplified scale-out, and drastically simpler workload placement within the data center.
OpenFlow & DirectFlow:
Arista EOS supports OpenFlow 1.0 controlled by OpenFlow controllers for filtering and redirecting traffic. Arista EOS also supports a controller-less mode relying on Arista's DirectFlow to direct traffic to the SDN applications (for example, TAP aggregators). This lets the production network run standard IP routing protocols, while enabling certain flow handling to be configured programmatically for SDN applications. All the 7050 series switches support OpenFlow and DirectFlow, and the topology can be configured via eAPI, Arista’s JSON-over-HTTP configuration solution.
Featured Video: Arista OpenFlow & DirectFlow
- Available on the 7050 Series, Arista DirectFlow is a mode that lets users configure flow handling via the CLI or Arista EOS APIs (eAPI).
- DirectFlow combines the flexibility of a programmable data plane with the reliability of proven routing and bridging technology.
- The matches and actions available for flows include those available in the OpenFlow 1.0 specifications, providing a standard match and action policy that the SDN community is familiar with.
- Arista DirectFlow is intended to complement OpenFlow for greater flexibility and broader ecosystem integration.