Software Defined Networking

VMware NSX and Cisco ACI

VMware NSX and Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) are the two leading products in the software defined networking space. Each has their own advantages, and both overlap in some functionality.

• VMware NSX

  NSX is an overlay software on top of the existing components in the network. It removes the intelligence from the hardware and moves it up the stack. Networks and subnetworks can be created on a whim and experimented on without impacting the rest of the network. Policies within these virtual networks can give certain applications bandwidth priority over others, thereby making better use of network resources.
  

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  Infrastructure Agnostic
  Apply NSX to any existing network for rapid deployment.
  

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  Micro-segmentation
  Unlock full visibility of the network and establish unique security policies for each VM.
  

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  Cloud Connectivity
  Draw and redraw network boundaries to include public cloud deployments. Now VMs can be moved freely in and out of the cloud without downtime or the need for reconfiguration.

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• Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)

  Instead of extracting the intelligence from hardware, Cisco made their hardware even more intelligent. Now, the Nexus series, along with the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), can create something very similar to an SDN. Using this special equipment, administrators can create policy templates for their virtual machines. These policies will redirect traffic as it moves through the network to ensure that mission-critical applications receive the priority bandwidth they need.
  

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  Automated Quality of Service Templates
  Create quality of service templates for each application and ensure bandwidth priority in times of peak traffic.

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  Reduced Human Error
  Clone and distribute templates to every application in order to automate network provisioning and remove the opportunity for human error.

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  Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)
  The APIC is the single pane of glass management platform unique to ACI. With the APIC, network admins can control and monitor the entire network and create templates to ensure healthy VM performance at all times.

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  Cisco Intercloud Fabric
  By combining ACI with Cisco Intercloud Fabric, networks can now burst into the cloud to supplement their resources seamlessly, automatically, and as needed.

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