HP to Federate its SDN Controller with VMware NSX

VMware and HP have agreed to collaborate on automated, virtual data center network technology.

The companies plan to federate the HP Virtual Application Networks SDN Controller with the VMware NSX network virtualization platform.  This will provide a centralized view, unified automation, visibility and control of the complete data center network, improving agility, monitoring and troubleshooting.  The companies said their goal is to eliminate manual configuration of both the physical and virtual data center networks through interoperable automated orchestration of policies.

The HP Virtual Application Networks SDN Controller also will include support for VMware Open vSwitch Database (OVSDB) management protocol. This enables HP FlexFabric switches to participate in the automated provisioning of the virtual network, which will be delivered by VMware NSX network virtualization platform.

HP also introduced the HP FlexFabric 5930 switch with built-in intelligence based on VXLAN technology, extending network virtualization to the servers, and allowing customers to leverage their virtual and physical networks to work together as one entity.  This top-of-rack switch is expected in December 2013

The companies plan to bring their complete solution to market in the second half of 2014.

“Networks must be agile enough to enable the adoption of cloud and mobility while ensuring continuity,” said Bethany Mayer, senior vice president and general manager, Networking, HP. “Building upon our SDN leadership, the HP-VMware networking solution unifies visibility and automation of the physical and virtual network with a common control plane, enabling new application and service delivery in minutes rather than months.”

“Customers are adopting network virtualization to gain the necessary agility needed to realize the promise of virtualized and cloud data centers. To be successful, IT organizations need solutions to deliver common management of services and operations across the physical and virtual domains,” said Stephen Mullaney, senior vice president and general manager, networking and security business unit, VMware. “By collaborating with HP on a federated networking solution, we will help our joint customers create a unified network operations model that will radically simplify IT in the software-defined

http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/vmw-vmworld-hp-joint-082613.html#sthash.l48lBuvz.dpuf
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1461269#.Uh7OARvlZ8E