In the next segment here is the Software Defined Networks, just two videos here. And then SDN divides the network capability into this notion of a data plane and a control plane. And provide you these mechanisms to dynamically determine how a network traffic flows through a network. [MUSIC] >> This video will demonstrate a couple different ways a connection between a client and a server could be setup in a software defined network. A software defined network attempts to build a computer network by separating it into two systems. The first system is the control plane, which provides performance and fault management via NetFlow, IPFIX, SNMP, and other standard protocols. It typically handles configuration management of the SDN client devices, and understands the network topology. Loaded with these details, the controller can process connection requests based on desired requirements, such as QoS levels. The controller can also [INAUDIBLE] between devices. The second system is the data plane, which is responsible for forwarding traffic to the selected destination. Switches can either be reliant on the controller to make forwarding decisions or make the decisions on their own. The control plane configures connection tabs or flows into the data plane through the use of a control protocol. The control protocol is used by the controller in a software defined network. To perform important functions such as connection setup. When a host attempts to communicate with another host over an SDN, the first packets from the client involved with a new flow are used to determine whether or not a forwarding decision can be made locally by the switch. Or if the switch needs to ask the controller what to do. If the switch determines that it must ask the controller, it will do so via a secure channel using the control protocol. The controller decides based on policies if the flow should be granted. If allowed, details about the flow could be entered into the controller's connection table. The controller could then send instructions to program the switches in the best path along the data plane. Then the flow would be directed through the network. The switches may also tell the controller when a flow is no longer active. This removes it from the table. Centralizing some or all of the connection requests has several benefits. Because of the configuration policies in the controller, some connection requests could be dropped such as DoS attacks and broadcast discovery traffic. The policies on the controller that are leveraged to make decisions on flows, can be based on ranges of IP addresses, time of day, and other characteristics. SDNs also claim to overcome scalability issues. It is unlikely, that a single controller would be processing all of the connection requests for all of the access points on the network. The issue can be managed in a couple of different ways that can coexist. The first idea is to break up the network into multiple control and data planes. Policies can then be synchronized across multiple controllers. Each controller still sets up connections end to end even when another data plane is involved. A second way to unload some of the connection processing on each controller, is to allow the switch receiving the initial connection request, make some forwarding decisions. Allowing the switch to make most or a portion of the forwarding decisions provide support for environments that are not ready to commit 100% to a control protocol. Traffic analysis of a software defined network comes in two major formats. Typically, the switches and routers in a software defined network are SNMP compatible. And they can generally export some type of NetFlow or IPFIX data. Even the controller could be setup to export flows from its connection table. Ensuring that all details are available for network traffic analysis. SDNs has gained tremendous momentum because at least six of the largest networks in the world are supporting it. So what are the benefits? The benefits of an SDN could lead to the ability to purchase inexpensive switches that have very little resident software and processing needs. Centralization of the forwarding information base or FIB, allows optimum routes to be calculated deterministically for each flow, end to end across the topology. SDNs dynamically respond to application requirements. SDNs optimize the utilization of the network without sacrificing service quality. SDNs can filter packets as they enter the network. And hence, these switches can act as simple firewalls at the edge of the network. SDN switches can redirect certain suspicious traffic loads to higher layer security controls. Such as IPS systems, application firewalls, and data loss prevention devices. SDN switches that support the modification of packet headers will also be able to function as a simple, cost-effective load balancing device. SDN controllers can be clustered for fault tolerances and high availability. So with all these benefits, why aren't companies rushing to deploy SDNs? When will businesses want them? Interest will increase when applications utilize the centralized control available in most SDN architectures. And when IT members can purchase solutions that allow them to properly manage software defined networks. The good news, is that nearly all of the hardware companies have announced plans to embrace it. Thank you for watching. [MUSIC] >> Hello, and welcome to Ciena Chalk Talk. My name is Rob Tomkins. And I work for the office of the CTO here at Ciena on SDN portfolio strategy. Today, I'm here to talk to you about software-defined networking or SDN. Software-defined networking is a new technology in the industry designed to make your network more agile. Today's networks are often quite static, slow to change, and dedicated to single services. The software-defined networking, you can create a network that handles many, many different services in a dynamic fashion. Allowing you to consolidate multiple services onto one common infrastructure for both service providers and carriers. For example, a service provider may want to allocate most of their metro network bandwidth to business services during the day. To Internet services during the evening. And to new high capacity on-demand at job and virtual machine movements, as well as backup solutions over night. This allows the service provider to consolidate three different networks into one powerful network that can be allocated on the map. So what is software-defined networking? From a technological standpoint, software-defined networking is a new network architecture comprised of three different layers. The bottom layer is the infrastructure, and that's where the network forwarding equipment is. Unlike today's architectures, that forwarding equipment relies on a new layer, the control layer. To provide it with its configuration and its forwarding instructions. The middle layer, or control layer, is responsible for configuring that infrastructure layer. And it does that by receiving service request from the third layer, the application layer. The control layer maps these service requests onto the infrastructure layer in the most optimal matter possible. Dynamically configuring that infrastructure layer. The third layer, the application layer, is where cloud applications, management applications, and business applications, place their demands for the network onto the control layer. Now, in software-defined networking, each of these layers and the application programmable interfaces between them, are designed to be open. That is to say, that you could have multiple different vendors equipment at the infrastructure layer. You can have multiple vendors components of control in the control layer. And you can have multiple different vendors applications at the application layer. Say goodbye to vendor lock-in. The SDN architecture provides great agility by logically centralizing the full configuration of the network. And the understanding of all combinations and permutations of that network. And mapping into it, all current and historical service requirements, right down to every single SLA. The control layer can make intelligent and informed decisions on how to configure the infrastructure layer to be optical for your network. But it gets even better. Let's examine some of the applications that can be placed on top of the control layer. Path computation engines can be used to change the way you route traffic in your network. Ciena has discovered a number of algorithms that deliver much better efficiency than plain old shortest path first. Allowing your network to be more efficient and more effective at delivering more services. On top of the PCE, you can also run a network optimizer. Now, a network optimizer looks at the current performance of the network and recognizes network hotspots. It adjusts the costing of that hotspot within your past computation engine. As a result, future services will avoid that hotspot if their SLA permits. This allows you to have a more efficient and effective network, that allows for more services to be applied over top. And with greater customer satisfaction and less congestion. In addition to path computation engines and optimization, we can add scheduling and on-demand services. On-demand, and bend with scheduling applications can be used to create new on-demand services. Like cloud computing services, backup services, to enable new revenue streams for your organization. In addition, on-demand services could be put through a dynamic pricing engine. A dynamic pricing engine looks at the actual state of your network and matches the supply with the demand. And determines a price for the next on-demand service. This allows you to generate additional revenue for your network. So for example, when a large conference comes to town and your network is in heavy use, the price for utilizing that network with a service guarantee would go up. Providing you with additional resource, while allowing your customer to have a guaranteed service instead of having to deal with congestion. Here at Ciena, we're not just focused on packet software-defined networking. We are focused on multi-layer software-defined networking. Multi-layer software-defined networking is reconfigurable from layer zero all the way to layer three. Allowing your network to do on-demand services at every single layer, to optimize at every single layer. Multi-layer software-defined networking will allow you to have full network agility. And is just one way Ciena is helping you to make transformation possible. [MUSIC] [BLANK AUDIO]
