Software-Defined Networking and Intent-Based Networking

Software-Defined Networking and Intent-Based Networking

Software-Defined Networking

Software-defined networking refers to the networking model that reduces the challenges presented by network management. Such challenges are encountered when either maintaining, operating or securing the network. (Kim and Feamster, 2013) The software-defined networking model reduces these challenges by separating the forwarding and data plane and the control plane. The goals of software-defined networking include supporting abstraction and making the network control to be more programmable. The software-defined networking architecture consists of the infrastructure layer, the control layer, and the application layer. This architecture separates the forwarding layer from the control layer, and this makes the control layer easily programmable. An example of the standards used in software-defined networking is OpenFlow. This protocol is used by different organizations to help in the management of their networks. (Hu, 2014)

In a traditional network, the control plane and the data plane are coupled together. This coupling makes the networks static and inflexible. The traditional networks also make use of the hardware in their network management. One or more switches are used to implement the functionality of the network. Some of the disadvantages of using traditional networking include the networks being susceptible to several errors and the amount of time used in configuring the networks.

As an organization grows, so does its network. The growth in the network means that the network manager is tasked with configuring new devices. This can be time-consuming and easily prone to errors. Errors in the configuration are a threat to the security of the organization. When implementing a network, an organization can acquire different network components from different vendors. Successfully configuring these components can be challenging for the network administrator. Splitting a network into sub-networks to create network segments can often lead to network clutter. This is another disadvantage presented by traditional networking.

Adoption of the use of software-defined networks can be useful in solving the challenges experienced by traditional networks. To achieve this the decoupling of the control plane, which dictates where the traffic in the network will be sent, and the data plane, which implements the rules dictated in the control plane, is necessary. This makes it possible to control the network using software rather than hardware which is used in traditional networking. Instead of having multiple control points in the network, software-defined networking uses centralized software to control the network.

Benefits of Software-Defined Networking

According to Nunes et al (2014), the implementation of software-defined networking enables the execution of different protocols and applications, uncomplicated network virtualization, and management. One of the benefits of implementing software-defined networking is the increase in the performance of the network as well as the scalability of the network. When the controller defines different communication paths in the network, the performance and scalability of the network are improved. Unlike in the traditional network configuration, using the software-defined network reduces the errors in the configuration of the network.

The flexibility of the network is also increased. Since the control point of the network is reduced to one point, the time used to configure the network is reduced when compared to the time consumed when configuring the traditional network. The scalability of the network enables the organization to implement new technologies. The implementation of new technologies can be helpful to increase the efficiency and productivity of the organization, which in turn increases the revenue of the organization.

Another benefit of SDN is that it makes use of software in controlling the network. This reduces the amount of hardware used in the network. The software used is in most cases open-source. This reduces the need for configuring the hardware and software from different vendors. The different benefits of using SDN have made it useful in the implementation of modern technologies such as cloud computing and the internet of things.

SDN also makes use of a single control point. The control point centralizes the network management, and this enables the network administrator to control the network from a single point in the network. A single control point also makes the provision of the bandwidth to be more efficient. In the example of the organization given, the cost of networking devices totals $3,000,000 with an additional yearly refresh amount of $750,000. The implementation of the software-defined network would reduce this amount by almost half since most hardware is not required after the implementation of the SDN.

Challenges of Software-Defined Networking

One of the major challenges experienced by the implementation of software-defined networking is the issue of security. Improved security is one of the benefits of SDN as well as one of the challenges. The security challenge arises in SDN due to the use of a single point of control. When attackers compromise the point of control in the network, they compromise the whole network. This type of security breach would not be common in the traditional network architecture due to its use of one or multiple points of control. The issue of security also arises due to the virtualization of the network. Since multiple applications share the same hardware, it might be difficult for them to secure their data while at the same time sharing the components of the hardware.

Another challenge faced by the implementation of SDN is the existence of traditional network architectures. Most organizations already have traditional network architectures. Organizations which lack the traditional architectures can easily implement the SDN. This, however, might not be the case for organizations that already have an existing network architecture. Some organizations consider the removal of the existing network and implementation of the SDN to be expensive. Hence, they consider integrating the SDN into the legacy network of the organization. This is a challenge since traditional network architectures and SDN use different protocols. (Sezer et al, 2013)

Intent-Based Networking

Intent-based networking can be defined as the use of machine learning algorithms to automate the configuration, coordination, and management of a network based on the specifications provided by a network administrator. In intent-based networking, the need for manual configurations done by the network administrator is removed. The removal of the manual configurations makes it possible for the network administrator to define the configurations required in the network and the machine learning algorithms implement the configurations. Despite having common goals, intent-based networking and software-defined networking are not the same. Intent-based networking makes use of machine learning algorithms to implement the configurations provided by the network administrator, while software-defined networking shifts the network architecture design from hardware-oriented to software-oriented.

With intent-based networking, the configuration input can be performed through a graphical user interface. The easy means of configuring a network makes it possible for an organization to scale up its network. Scaling up a network for an organization that makes use of intent-based networking is easy since it does not require the expertise of additional IT specialists. The process followed by the intent-based networking systems includes accepting input from the user, validating the accuracy of the configuration, and the deployment of the validated configuration. Intent-based networking is made up of the following characteristics: translation and validation, automated implementation, awareness of network state, and assurance and dynamic optimization. (Lerner, 2017)

Characteristics of intent-based networking

One of the characteristics of intent-based networking is the translation and validation performed in the network. Due to the use of machine learning algorithms, intent-based networking systems accept input from the users and the automated systems implement the policies defined in the input. The policies are validated to ensure the system is implementing the correct policies. Another characteristic of intent-based networking is automated implementation. The use of machine learning algorithms enables the implementation of configurations in the network to be automated.

The real-time status of the network is monitored by the network control systems. This is another characteristic of intent-based networking where the awareness of the network state is maintained. Machine learning algorithms enable the network to perform assurance and dynamic optimization. When any errors in the network are detected, the network puts in place measures to amend the errors. This is important in the network since the validation, and the correction activities in the network are performed in real time. (Lerner, 2017)

Benefits of Intent-Based Networking

The automation of the configuration process in the network removes the use of an IT specialist to configure the network. The automation reduces the labour required to maintain and implement the different configurations required in the network. To configure a network, an end user only needs to input the configurations they require, and the automated system implements the configurations. By removing the need for an IT specialist to configure the network, intent-based networking minimizes the errors that might have occurred during the manual configuration by the specialist. This is another benefit of intent-based networking. Before the implementation of the IBN, the organization required at least 5 IT specialists to maintain the network. The implementation of IBN reduces the work done by the specialists, and only two specialists are required to maintain the network. This also reduces the cost of running the IT department by almost three quarters.

Another benefit of intent-based networking is the improvements in the agility of the network. One of the characteristics of intent-based networking is assurance and dynamic optimization. This means that the validation and the error correction are performed in real time which increases the agility of the network. The real-time validation and error correction also increase the security of the network. Similar to software-based networking, the implementation of intent-based networking minimizes the intricacy experienced in maintaining and managing the network configurations. For an organization spending $2,000,000 every year on security measures, using intent-based networking is very beneficial since it helps reduce the amount of spent on security measures.

Virtualization and Back-End Infrastructure Relationship

Desktop virtualization is the technology that allows a desktop environment to be accessed from a single hardware server. Different virtual desktops can access the server at a single time. (Miller and Pegah, 2007) This increases the utilization of the resources offered by the server. Utilization of the server according to Miller and Pegah (2007) can reduce the cost incurred in building an infrastructure and a network as well as the maintenance costs. Back-end infrastructure virtualization refers to the conversion of a single server into several virtual servers. Similar to desktop virtualization, server virtualization aims at optimizing the resources offered by the server. After separating the server into different virtual servers, each virtual server is able to efficiently run different applications and operating systems at the same time.

One of the similarities between server virtualization and desktop virtualization is that both types of virtualization techniques are executed on the same server. The difference between the two arises in that the back-end infrastructure virtualization produces multiple virtual servers while desktop virtualization produces different desktop environments. In the example given, maintaining 20 Dell PowerEdge servers can be expensive. This is evident in the $60,000 used to refresh the servers. The servers are used for different reasons including email, file backup, and remote access. Implementation of virtualization can help reduce the number of servers needed from 20 servers to at most 5 servers. This would reduce the amount used to refresh the servers by over half.

Desktop virtualization is very useful for an organization that has employees who work remotely. Since the desktop image stored in the server can be accessed by a user at any place using a variety of devices, desktop virtualization is very useful in implementing technologies such as cloud computing. (Beaty, Kochut, and Shaikh, 2009) This is the case for the organization where the end users can access the organization’s network from Android phones and iPads issued by the company. The employees also make use of the technology where they are given mobile devices with installed VPN software for remote access.

Desktop virtualization has both positive and negative impacts on the security of the network. A device connected to a network via desktop virtualization can be easily accessed by unauthorized individuals. Unauthorized access is a big security threat to any organization. On the other hand, the data stored in the device, which can be used to gain unauthorized access, can easily be wiped remotely. Backend infrastructure virtualization can be employed by an organization to increase the efficiency of the existing server. This minimizes the cost of acquiring other servers to perform different functions in the network. Using one server for multiple functions in an organization also reduces the costs incurred in maintaining the servers.

Desktop virtualization makes it possible for access devices to have the minimum storage capacity possible. Implementation of virtualization would mean the organization does not need to purchase computers having 256GB solid state drive. Reduction of the storage capacity of the computers would mean a significant decrease in the price of the computer. The reduction in price could be by almost half which means that the total amount used by the organization to refresh the computers would be $1,250,000.

Apart from minimizing the costs in an organization, desktop virtualization and backend infrastructure also ensure that the resources in a network are utilized efficiently. Network virtualization and software-defined networking are related in the sense that both make use of virtualization to enable scalability in the network. Both network virtualization and software-defined networking advocate for the use of software to manage a network instead of adding more hardware.

SDN and IBN Relationship

While software-based networking focuses on separating the data layer from the control layer intent-based networking focuses on automating the configurations in the network using machine learning algorithms. Both SDN and IBN aim at increasing the efficiency of the network while at the same time increasing the scalability of the network. The two technologies make use of a single point of control to administer the different components in the network. The relationship between SDN and IBN is that software-defined networking can be implemented in an IBN to help in controlling the network. The organization has over 2000 computers, 30 servers, various networking equipment totalling $3,000,000, and different hardware and software security options. The refreshing of all the different equipment would cost the organization more funds. Implementation of different technologies, including virtualization, software-defined networking, and intent-based networking, would reduce the cost of hardware and software required by the organization.

References

Beaty, K., Kochut, A., & Shaikh, H. (2009, May). Desktop to cloud transformation planning. In 2009 IEEE International Symposium on Parallel & Distributed Processing (pp. 1-8). IEEE.

Hu, F. (Ed.). (2014). Network innovation through OpenFlow and SDN: principles and design. CRC Press.

Kim, H., & Feamster, N. (2013). Improving network management with software-defined networking. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(2), 114-119.

Kreutz, D., Ramos, F. M., Verissimo, P., Rothenberg, C. E., Azodolmolky, S., & Uhlig, S. (2015). Software-defined networking: A comprehensive survey. Proceedings of the IEEE, 103(1), 14-76.

Lerner, A. (2017, February 7). Intent-based networking [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://blogs.gartner.com/andrew-lerner/2017/02/07/intent-based-networking/

Miller, K., & Pegah, M. (2007, October). Virtualization: virtually at the desktop. In Proceedings of the 35th annual ACM SIGUCCS fall conference (pp. 255-260). ACM.

Nunes, B. A. A., Mendonca, M., Nguyen, X. N., Obraczka, K., & Turletti, T. (2014). A survey of software-defined networking: Past, present, and future of programmable networks. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 16(3), 1617-1634.

Sezer, S., Scott-Hayward, S., Chouhan, P. K., Fraser, B., Lake, D., Finnegan, J., … & Rao, N. (2013). Are we ready for SDN? Implementation challenges for software-defined networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(7), 36-43.

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In this article, we will see how networking has evolved over the last years to become more complex, with computers or switches no longer limited by their hardware.

Physical Connections: Messing With the Wires

Software-Defined Networking and Intent-Based Networking

In the beginning, computers could not talk to each other. At some point during the 1960s, the few people who used computers figured out that, for reasons that seem obvious today, connecting several computers could be a good idea. And so computer networks were created.

For some decades, setting up a network would basically consist of plugging cables between pairs of devices, and connecting more than two hosts together on local networks, hubs, or switches would be required. To connect several networks between them would be the task of routers