The Lippis Report

by Gigamon

The volume of digital information created and replicated will grow from 1.8 trillion gigabytes in 2011 to 7.9 trillion gigabytes in 2015. IDC

By 2014 70% of IT risk and security officers in the Global 2000 will be required to report at least annually to their board of directors on the state of IT security within their organization. Gartner

There are many drivers to network visibility. The Gigamon Visibility Fabric architecture empowers network and security architects, engineers and operators to design and deploy an intelligent infrastructure by applying user-defined “map” logic to select the appropriate, relevant and critical network traffic flows and deliver them to centralized security, monitoring and management systems. This new approach can extend the network reach of tools to significantly improve return on investment, allows IT organizations to more efficiently manage and secure their network, and provides a solution that can quickly evolve and scale as network needs change.

To assure 100% throughput, that is no packet loss or network performance degradation takes place during an inter-chassis switch over, Cisco invested in its third generation of Virtual Switch System or VSS. It introduced support for four Supervisors within a VSS, which it calls VS4O for short. VS40 supports a VSS pair to be resilient to up to three simultaneous supervisor failures; providing deterministic and automated recovery from failures and increases network uptime tremendously in the campus backbone. Sudeep Padiyar Senior Product Manager at Cisco Systems and Charles Okochu, Network Engineer at MarketAxess join me to discuss Cisco’s new additions to the Catalyst 6500 and the resiliency network design options it affords to Cisco customers.

Cisco introduced enhancements to its VXLAN implementation in the Nexus 1000V virtual switch that overcomes the requirement for IP Multicast. In addition Cisco is integrating vPath to VXLAN for service insertion that stitches virtual services into VXLAN overlay tunnels. Network services might include virtual firewalls, application delivery controllers, WAN optimization, network monitors, etc. A final VXLAN challenge that network teams are facing is how to integrate VXLAN into legacy networks and with existing physical networks, appliances and the enterprise WAN. We’ll hear if Cisco has any solutions to get around this issue as well. Han Yang of Cisco joins me to discuss VXLAN, without multicast and with vPath, and how it can be used to deploy virtual network overlays.

Miami Children’s Hospital or MCH deployed an 802.11n Wi-Fi network some two years ago to support their Clinical EMR deployment, which enabled clinicians and physicians to access applications such as PowerChart via mobile devices. The Wi-Fi network also enabled BYOD for patients, families and friends visiting MCH. MCH also developed its Fit4KidsCare mobile application that leverages location services so that food orders or gifts can be delivered to patient rooms while it’s WayFinding feature provides turn-by-turn navigation services to guide patients/family and guest around the complex children’s hospital. Edward Martinez, MCH SVP and Chief Information Officer discusses how its connected mobile network is having a positive impact on clinical operations and patient network services beyond connectivity for mobile devices.

The Arista 7150S-24 SFP Data Center Switch is the fastest Top of Rack Switch we have ever tested in this series of public test. Find out just how fast the 7150S-24 can forward packets in your network by reviewing the latest public test information.

by Avaya

With the increased adoption of online learning, hybrid learning and collaborative learning models, the K-12 education paradigm is shifting. These models use a modernized curriculum containing digital content and cloud-based applications accessed through one-to-one computing and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Underpinning these advances is the essential need for an “Always-On Learning” network, a modern infrastructure that delivers performance, reliability and operational simplicity, 24 x 7. This white paper details TCO savings for public school networks. For a large suburban school district, savings can be as high as $4.12 million in one year and $6.73 million in five years.

Cisco is fundamentally changing the way it approaches network  by prioritizing R&D to deliver a common user experience independent upon wired, wireless or remote access. In addition, to simplifying network operations and reducing opex, Cisco is unifying its product suites for One Policy, One Management and One Network to address the BYOD megatrend.  Its approach is to deliver a unified access or holistic solution to IT business leaders that span both wired, wireless and remote network access with a common security,  management and features framework. Cisco calls this new approach Cisco Unified Access. Cisco is also introducing a new converged wired and wireless switch –  Catalyst 3850 switch.   Jeff Reed; Vice President and General Manager Unified Access Group at Cisco Systems joins me to discuss Cisco’s  Unified Access strategy and new Catalyst 3850 switch.

Duration: 15:26 minutes

Lippis Intro/Analysis @ : 00:03 sec

Question 1 @ 2:22: First would you like to add to my intro, that is what is Unified Access and what’s driving it?

Question 2 @ 3:02: What are the basic elements of UA from a product development point of view, that is where is Cisco investing to deliver UA?

Question 3 @ 5:07: Can you expand on the new 3850 product especially around the topic of virtualized WLAN controllers.

Question 4 @ 7:08: How does UA address BYOD, Video and security trends?

Question 5 @ 10:52: How much does IOS 15.0 Infrastructure play a part in UA?

Question 6 @ 12:47: What do you expect the business outcomes to be for those that deploy UA?

Closing @ 14:41: Summary of UA and its impact on business process.

Dr.Casimer DeCasatis

This is the forth of a five part podcast series on IBM’s Open Data Center Interoperable Network or ODIN program and DOVE or Distributed Overlay Virtual Ethernet. I talk with Dr. Casimer DeCasatis, IBM Distinguished Engineer and System Networking’s Chief Technical Officer for strategic alliances about IBM’s Software Defined-Networking or SDN stack and how applications request network services with IBM’s linkage between its Patterns and SDN product set.

Duration 12 minutes and 17 seconds:

Lippis Intro/Analysis @ : 00:10 sec

Question 1 @ 2:27 What are the key architectural components that enable applications to call upon network resource within PureSystems.

Question 2 @ 4:45: What is Patterns and its main function?

Question 3 @ 7:21: How do clients build DOVE networks and DOVE networks build Virtual System pattern?

Question 4 @ 8:58: What network infrastructure needs to be put in place before virtual system patterns can be created and what’s the main business benefit gained?

No matter where an IT architect looks they are confronted with scaling issues and many times one solution creates another problem.  To address increasing VM density many are expanding broadcast domains with flatter 2-tier architectures only to get bogged down in broadcast issues.  To scale virtualized networks the industry offers VXLAN, but that moves L2 scaling into a multicast-scaling problem.  Software-Defined Network and in particular OpenFlow offers a good approach for provisioning and control but introduces flow oriented architecture scaling issues of its own.  I discuss scaling challenge with Shehzad Merchant Chief Technology Officer at Extreme Networks.

Duration: 10:24 minutes

Lippis Intro/Analysis @ : 00:10 sec

Question 1

@ 1:35 sec: Shehzad: Let’s first start with Extreme’s view of 40 and 100GbE.  How is Extreme incorporating it and why?

Question 2 @ 3:50 sec: Forwarding table architecture and size define logical networking scale.  Extreme recently introduced UFT or Unified Forwarding Table.  What is it and how does it work?

Question 3 @ 6:35 sec: Extreme has partnered with Big Switch Networks to address network visualization scale via its Big Tap and Big Virtual Switch.  Can you talk to this solution?

Question 4 @ 8:51 sec: Can you sum up all the initiatives that Extreme has under way to deliver on its Open Fabric architecture for clo

ud-scale networking?

REGISTER FOR THE OPEN NETWORKING USER GROUP HERE:

By Broadcom

A critical element of cloud network scalability is forwarding table size of data center network switches. Forwarding table size impacts data center scalability, that is the number of servers and virtual machines (VM) per server, the ability to load-balance and provide full cross-sectional bandwidth across switch links. In turn, these scalability elements directly impact application performance and mobility. VMs and server sprawl, plus increased use of tunneling or overlay technologies, further exacerbate scaling challenges. This white paper explores forwarding table size requirements in private and public cloud data center networks, and considers how such requirements affect the design of data center network switches. It also describes features that are enabled by Broadcom’s Smart-Table technology, part of Broadcom’s SmartSwitch series of technologies, engineered specifically to meet feature and scale requirements of cloud networks.

Dr.Casimer DeCusatis

This is the first of a five part podcast series on IBM’s Open Data Center Interoperable Network or ODIN program and its DOVE or Distributed Overlay Virtual Ethernet initiative.  In this podcast I talk with Dr. Casimer DeCusatis IBM Distinguished Engineer and IBM System Networking’s chief technical officer for strategic alliances about IBM’s expanded approach to data center networking and the gains anticipated by IBM customers.

Duration 10 minutes and 05 seconds:

Lippis Intro/Analysis @ : 00:10 sec

Question 1 @ 2:16: Let’s start with a discussion about Open Data Center Interoperable Network; what is it and what problem(s) does it seek to solve?

Question 2 @ 3:37: What benefits will IT leaders gain as they start an ODIN journey.

Question 3 @ 5:13: Is ODIN an architecture and an approach to networking or a way for IBM to communicate to the market a set of product/service investments it’s making?

Question 4 @ 7:13: How does ODIN prepare a data center or cloud for elastic compute, storage and network provisioning of resource pools that can be rapidly partitioned into desired configuration?

Register to attend the Open Networking User Group hosted by Fidelity and the Lippis Report on Feb 13^th 2013 in Boston, MA

Nick Lippis, Zeus Kerravala

Zeus Kerravala of ZK Research and I host our annual predictions podcast. We provide our top ten 2013 predictions that span consolidation in the SDN market, Cisco breaking away from HP/Dell, VMware jumping the shark, Micosoft’s rebound, the formation of the white box Top of Rack switch market, UC providers moving into context aware services, the rise of truly mobile applications and how Cisco will win with Cisco ONE. Enjoy and the very best for a happy and healthy New Year.

Register to Attend the Lippis Report’s Open Networking User Group meeting hosted by Fidelity on Feb 13th in Boston.

Mark Monday

Mark Monday Vice President, Product Management, Collaboration Platforms and Endpoints at Avaya joins me to discuss virtualized unified communications.  Avaya announced its Aura Virtualized Environment or Avaya Unified Communications on VMware, which are full-featured Avaya Aura core platform and applications installable as VMware virtual appliances.  This affords a range of new deployment opportunities not previously available that promise to accelerate mobility, video and overall business collaboration deployment. We discuss the implications and new options afforded by Aura on top of VMware.

Duration: 13 minutes 17 seconds

Lippis Intro/Analysis @ : 00:10 sec

Question 1 @ 1:52 sec: When you say that Avaya Aura is now virtualized, what does that actually mean, what is virtualized?

Question 2 @ 4:37 sec: While it may be obvious for some; let’s start with a discussion about the motivations to virtualize Avaya Aura.  What’s the key value proposition for customers and partners?

Question 3 @ 8:27 sec: There are new go to market models for partners with Avaya Aura Virtualized Environment, can you describe them and their implications for Avaya’s reach?

Question 4 @ 10:53 sec: How do existing customers take advantage of Avaya Aura Virtualized Environment as well as new prospectus?

Register to attend the Open Networking User Group hosted by Fidelity and the Lippis Report on Feb 13^th 2013 in Boston, MA

by IBM

The ODIN reference architecture describes best practices for creating a flat, converged, virtualized data center network (or fabric) based on open industry standards. ODIN is organized into a series of documents, each of which explores a key aspect of data center networking. The ODIN series provides interpretations of existing standards, which is intended to educate end users and developers of networking technology so that they can make intelligent network design choices. This document aims to explain and interpret existing standards from the IEEE, IETF, INCITS, IBTA, ONF and other standards bodies. This volume discusses the evolution of data center networks and outlines the problems and tradeoffs associated with modern network design that will be addressed in detail by subsequent volumes of ODIN.