VMware Fleshes Out Modern Network Framework

VMware on Monday announced enhancements to its Virtual Cloud Network (NSX portfolio), the embodiment of its Modern Network framework.

The VMware Modern Network brings public cloud principles to the private cloud. It is based on three pillars: modern apps connectivity services, multicloud network virtualization and physical network infrastructure.

VMware’s Rajiv Ramaswami

“We’re seeing a historic increase in our reliance on apps, clouds and devices. Applications have become the face and digital lifeblood of businesses,” said Rajiv Ramaswami, chief operating office, products and cloud services VMware. “The apps are modern, they’re often born in the cloud, they’re adapting to user and market demands. And these applications need to be available across any location and any device. Rapid innovation along with frictionless consumption is really what we’re all about.”

3 Core Pillars

The portfolio enhancements touch on each of the three Modern Network pillars.

There are a few enhancements related to the first pillar of the framework — modern apps connectivity services. First, the VMware Tanzu Service Mesh is now generally available. Tanzu Service Mesh is a technology that controls the communication among the thousands of components (or containers). It enforces security policy, measures performance, understands data and more.

VMware’s Tom Gillis

“It addresses the fundamental needs of security and gives developers the ability to create very modular, very rapidly changing applications,” said Tom Gillis, senior vice president and general manager, networking and security business unit at VMware.

Additionally, VMware announced a preview of a distributed attribute-based policy model, new NSX Advanced Load Balancer integration with Tanzu Service Mesh, and Project Antrea.

The new policy model aims to simplify the job of building and administering policy and drive toward higher-level automation capability.

The NSX Advanced Load Balancer enables application developers using Kubernetes to launch an application with all required load balancing capabilities — without ever having to touch the infrastructure. API-driven, this combined solution will deliver high availability and security for modern applications via load balancing and web application firewall capabilities. Expect this integration to be available sometime after Jan. 30, 2021, when the company’s new fiscal year begins.

Project Antrea is an open source cluster-level networking solution. It allows a developer to deploy its own network solution to allow containers to talk to each other and connect. It connects to NSX for a two-tier approach, providing all of the security services and the connectivity that developers want.

Virtualized Network Virtualization and more

In regard to the second Modern Network pillar – Virtualized Network Virtualization – The company announced that vRealize Network Insight can not only identify problems but self-heal or fix problems.

“That end-to- end view is extremely powerful for troubleshooting, for creating efficiency, especially in a COVID-19-centric world where you can’t always touch the devices,” said Gillis.

As for the third pillar – physical network infrastructure – VMware said the NSX Services-Defined Firewall running on a Monterey SmartNIC will be able to run stateful layer 4 firewall services at line rate. Additionally, the SmartNIC will be able to run layer 7 stateful firewall as well as VMware’s curated IPS Signatures.

“Being able to put a layer 7 firewall in the NIC and have it operate effectively with air gap – it’s not running in the memory of the host, it’s running in the NIC – we think this is a transformative capability for advanced security. Putting the security where it matters, which is right next to sensitive applications and data,” said Gillis.

VMware discussed Project Monterey at VMworld 2020 (virtual) in September. Project Monterey addresses the modern application landscape, which includes support for SmartNICs and the redesign of VMware Cloud Foundation. It also includes with other technology vendors for SmartNIC technology.