Cloud computing Is here. Is your network ready?

There’s been a lot of talk lately about cloud computing. Whether you are talking about a business executive that needs additional technical resources to support a short term project, or a military commander looking for temporary access to a portion of the government’s pool of extremely secure, shared computing resources to train a military team on a specific mission, the cloud computing model is attracting a lot of attention.

Driving the talk of cloud computing are some impressive numbers. In January 2010, IDC projected that cloud computing would become a $45 billion market by 2013.

Making the Most of the Cloud Computing Revolution

Step 1:  Stop Treating Your Data Centre as a Static Environment

With the advent of cloud services, data centres will become critical components of the service delivery platforms, whether in mobile, fixed, or Internet-based applications. Yet many still treat those data centres as fixed, with relatively static computing and connectivity requirements. That model doesn't work terribly well in a cloud computing environment, in which bursts of activity which shift workloads dynamically from one data centre to another to meet demand.

Instead, we need to virtualize both the applications in the data centre and the network that delivers them. Virtualizing the network allows the security and application's semantics to follow those virtual applications throughout the network, so that no matter where the application workload is placed within the cloud, customers are assured that their information remains secure, accessible and at the guaranteed service level. 

Step 2: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Interconnecting a growing number of virtual and physical devices within the data centre itself while linking multiple data centres to the WAN is a daunting task. Complexity and costs increase exponentially with each new device and location. Achieving the scale and elasticity of a cloud-computing environment requires a fundamentally different approach.

Datacentres can use Virtual Chassis fabric technology from Juniper Networks to implement this network fabric, greatly simplifying their cloud data centre network, reducing the total cost of ownership, and providing the elasticity they need to provide scalable, on-demand cloud computing.

Juniper's "3-2-1" data centre network architecture, which is based on this concept of a network fabric, collapses multiple switching tiers to create a new data centre design that requires fewer devices and interconnections. This simplified design enables service providers to consolidate security operations onto a smaller set of highly scalable dynamic security services platforms. Meanwhile, advanced routing capabilities enhance application performance and agility.

All of these functions leverage a common operating system with an open network automation platform. This makes it easier to manage and administer the data centre network, accelerating application deployments and increasing efficiencies in space, power, cooling, and management.

Step 3: Set up Your Data Centre Resources to be Shared More Efficiently

Cloud computing requires network resources to be allocated, expanded, and re-allocated efficiently at scale across the network. Juniper's uniquely architected platforms deliver the agility and scaling required to virtualize network configurations, segment services into logical domains, and scale without complexity.

Here again, the virtual chassis technology integrated into the EX4200 line of switches plays a pivotal role. We can use this technology to interconnect multiple devices so that they behave as a single device. At the same time, Juniper's security services and policies allow service providers to nest VLANs within logical zones for security segmentation. With our carrier-grade, scalable MPLS and VPLS technologies, VPNs can be used to extend zones, and VLANs can be stretched across data centres or pods for more flexible shared links to the cloud. VPLS is the only scalable, open standards way to extend Layer 2 domains for dynamic VM mobility.

Step 4: Implement Security Policies That Can Keep Pace with Cloud Computing

Today's security administrator must not only secure traffic flow from client to server, but also secure increased traffic between physical and virtual servers, applications, and other data centres. The increased access and sophistication of security threats in a cloud data centre require service providers to expand their security protection capabilities-without affecting service availability or negatively impacting service provider operations.

Juniper Networks has developed cloud-enabled virtualized security services that not only meet today's security and performance requirements, but also provide the extreme scalability service providers require. Services such as application-aware denial of service, stateful firewall, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and VPN are consolidated on our high-performance security platforms to provide the flexibility and efficiency required to dynamically assign resources to the services.

Step 5: Automate Across the Entire Network Lifecycle, Not Just Specific Tasks

Most current data centre network automation solutions are implemented as point products optimized for specific tasks-configuration, provisioning, diagnostics, or management-and are not designed to work together. They have different operator interfaces and navigation schemes, lack user-based automation, and are difficult to use. This point product approach to data centre automation simply cannot scale to perform on the level network operators require to run an efficient cloud computing service.

In contrast, Juniper Networks takes a comprehensive approach to network automation. Designed to provide end-to-end visibility and control of the network, the Junos Space network application platform includes a core set of collaborative applications from Juniper and third parties that help managers improve operational efficiencies, rapidly scale their infrastructure, and increase the reliability and agility of their network.  

Junos Space enables operators to significantly simplify the entire network life cycle, including configuration provisioning and troubleshooting. Meanwhile, user-specific workflows and Juniper best practices can significantly increase operations accuracy. All Junos Space applications share common services-enabling optimum resource utilization, security, and performance. The result is an automation platform that operators can use to orchestrate network resources in response to changing business needs.

The Bottom Line

Juniper Networks helps service providers build, secure, and automate trusted cloud networks that include the data centre and their current infrastructure. This allows for massive scale and greater elasticity-enabling service providers to respond to peak demand at lower costs while accelerating the delivery of cloud services.