Monday, August 25, 2014

VMware Jumps Aboard the Docker Container Paradigm

VMware is now supporting Docker, Google and Pivotal in the initiative to use a common container for moving workloads between public, private and hybrid clouds.

At the VMworld 2014 show in San Francisco, VMware announced joint initiatives with Docker, Google and Pivotal to help enterprises run and manage applications whether in a container or a virtual machine or a container within a virtual machine in a platform as a service.

The cooperation aims to enable enterprises to run and manage their containerized applications on their VMware infrastructure or on VMware vCloud Air hybrid service.

The common platform will help developers leverage compute, management, storage, networking and security capabilities in container environments.

Some specific points of the joint work:

  • Docker and VMware will collaborate on enabling Docker Engine on VMware workflows from build to deploy for VMware vSphere® to VMware vCloud Air;
  • Docker and VMware will collaborate on Docker-related open source projects libswarm, libcontainer and libchan;
  • Docker and VMware will jointly work on furthering areas of interoperability between their products including Docker Hub with VMware vCloud Air, VMware vCenter Server and VMware vCloud Automation Center;
  • VMware has joined the Kubernetes community and will make Kubernetes' patterns, APIs and tools available to enterprises;
  • Google and VMware will work together to bring the pod based networking model of Open vSwitch to enable multi-cloud integration of Kubernetes;
  • VMware has contributed code to bring Kubernetes to VMware vSphere to make it easy for enterprises get started with container management; and,
  • VMware, Pivotal and Docker will collaborate on enhancing the Docker libcontainer project with capabilities from Warden, a Linux Container technology originally developed at VMware for Cloud Foundry. 

"With Docker, Google and Pivotal, we will simplify the way enterprises develop, run and manage all application types on a common platform at scale," said Ben Fathi, chief technology officer, VMware. "In this way, Docker containers and virtual machines will provide an IT environment without compromise. Together, we will optimize containers for the enterprise -- enabling that they run effectively in software-defined data center environments."

http://www.vmware.com

In July, Microsoft, which recently announced support for Docker containers on Azure Virtual Machines, announced plans to collaborate with Google and Docker to bring support for both Kubernetes and libswarm open source projects on the Microsoft Azure platform.

Docker is an open platform which can be used to build, ship, and run distributed applications on various clouds. The use of a container allows the same app to run unchanged on laptops, servers, data center VMs or the cloud -- similar to the concept of shipping container for the transportation industry.

Kubernetes is a container cluster management tool developed by Google. It builds on top of Docker to construct a clustered container scheduling service.

Microsoft is also supporting Docker’s libswarm project, which offers imperative management on Docker, so that libswarm will natively support Azure in enabling deployment of containers on Azure Virtual Machines.

The VCE Alliance Adds vCloud Automation Capabilities

VCE, the formed by Cisco and EMC with investments from VMware and Intel, announced new development efforts at VMworld 2014 for delivering integrated management solutions for the hybrid cloud.

Specifically, VCE will integrate its converged infrastructure, Vblock Systems, with VMware vCloud Automation Center and VMware vCenter Operations Suite, and provide technology onramps to VMware vCloud Air, enabling customers with seamless management, workload migration and disaster recovery between their private and public cloud environments.

VMware's vCloud Air is an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) public cloud offering that enables an organization to extend its private on-premises IT infrastructure to the public cloud.

Vblock Systems are pre-integrated, pre-tested and pre-validated converged infrastructures for cloud environments, enabling transformative data center agility, simplicity and economics to enterprises and service providers worldwide. As part of the VCE Experience, Vblock Systems are delivered and supported by VCE as a single product, with seamless component-level updates, lifecycle management and end-to-end vendor accountability.

"As more organizations capitalize on the advantages of the hybrid cloud, we are pleased that VCE intends to offer customers a solution to take advantage of vCloud Air's hybrid services portfolio that includes disaster recovery capabilities," said Bill Fathers, executive vice president and general manager, Hybrid Cloud Services Business Unit, VMware.

http://www.vmware.com

Dell, VMware and Cumulus Collaborate on Data Center Networking

Dell and VMware are extending thir relationship to deliver more integrated solutions for network virtualization and open networking in the software-defined data center.

The expanded relationship includes a range of new networking solutions for midmarket, large enterprise and service provider customers, backed by a joint go-to-market initiative, a validated reference architecture and a global reseller agreement.

Both Dell and VMware are working with Cumulus Networks to deliver the VMware NSX network virtualization platform with Cumulus Linux on Dell Networking switches. Additionally, Dell is delivering a fully-tested and validated converged infrastructure solution for midmarket customers that includes VMware NSX.

The solution features the VMware NSX network virtualization platform running on top of Dell servers, networking, and storage infrastructure. Dell’s converged infrastructure includes the Dell PowerEdge M1000e server blade chassis, the Dell Networking 10/40GbE MXL blade switch, S4810 Top of Rack switch and S6000 fabric switches, as well as Dell Storage iSCSI arrays.

“Dell is changing the game in networking with VMware and Cumulus Networks,” said Marius Haas, chief commercial officer and president, Enterprise Solutions. “This announcement extends our commitment to providing customers choice in how they move to a more software-defined data center. Additionally, when two of the largest enterprise IT leaders come together, such as VMware and Dell, to provide the most open, automated and comprehensive solutions - that have been fully-tested and validated - the customer wins. And that is what Dell is all about.”

http://www.dell.com
http://www.vmware.com

  • Earlier this month, Cumulus Networks announced a big milestone for its Linux operating system for data center networking: well over 1 million switch ports worldwide. The company said its customers range in size from webscale to small business across many industries.  Cumulus Networks now supports 16 hardware platforms, two CPU architectures and five hardware vendors. 

HP and VMware Collaborate on Software-Defined Data Centers

HP and VMware are extending their relationship to focus more on the software-defined data center and hybrid cloud.  The companies are releasing a standalone HP-VMware networking solution, as well as a solution delivered as part of HP Converged Systems.

The companies also announced HP Helion OpenStack will support enterprise-class VMware virtualization technologies.

Both HP and VMware are long-standing contributors to the OpenStack community.  With the upcoming HP Helion OpenStack commercial distribution, HP will provide an enterprise-grade OpenStack software solution for private, public and managed cloud environments. In order meet the commitment to offering an OpenStack distribution built to meet enterprise requirements, HP is working with VMware to support key VMware technologies with HP Helion OpenStack.

“Customers will be able to combine HP Helion OpenStack with VMware’s enterprise-class infrastructure including VMware vSphere and VMware NSX to achieve production-grade OpenStack deployments. Our integrated network virtualization and SDN solution will help customers achieve a completely new operational model for networking that enables data center operators to achieve orders of magnitude better agility and improved economics,” said Raghu Raghuram, executive vice president, SDDC Division, VMware.

http://www.vmware.com

Moscow's Akado Telecom Deploys Infinera DTN-X

Akado Telecom (Akado), a major multi-service cable network operator in the Moscow region, has upgraded its backbone network with the Infinera DTN-X packet optical transport networking platform.

The upgrade supports 100G and boosts Akado's total fiber capacity by more than four times, enabling rapid delivery of high capacity services. Akado provides a full range of advanced communication services based on its own fiber-optic network, which extends more than 18,000 kilometers. Akado's multi-service network provides high-speed residential Internet access, voice services, and cable TV services, as well as a broad range of enterprise services for businesses and government entities.

Infinera said its DTN-X platform enables Akado to rapidly deliver reliable, high-speed networking services. The Infinera DTN-X features 500 Gbps super-channel capability.   When combined with Infinera's Instant Bandwidth, Akado can activate bandwidth on demand in 100 Gb/s increments to rapidly deliver services to its customers faster and with lower costs.

"Deploying the Infinera Intelligent Transport Network allows Akado to dramatically increase the capacity on our metro backbone to support the growing demand in Moscow and Moscow region," said Vitaly Klishin, Senior Vice President at Akado Group. "With this solution we can rapidly scale network capacity to deliver reliable 10G, 40G and 100G services to meet the needs of both B2B and B2G customers of Akado Telecom, including banks, service providers and government organizations."

http://www.infinera.com
http://www.akado-telecom.ru

Nokia Completes SAC Wireless Acquisition

Nokia Networks completed its previously announced acquisition SAC Wireless, a provider of infrastructure and network deployment solutions based in Schaumburg, Illinois.

This acquisition builds upon Nokia Networks’ existing network implementation service capabilities and is expected to increase its market share in this space. SAC Wireless will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nokia.

“We’re seeing a trend in which operators are moving away from sub-contracting their network implementation services and opting instead for a direct service provider or ‘self-perform’ model,” said Ricky Corker, executive vice president of North America for Nokia Networks. “SAC Wireless does this very well. With a national footprint and a proven track record of working with major telecom operators, SAC Wireless’ capabilities complement our own in-house expertise. We believe this will enable us to build an even stronger foundation for our U.S. services business and address a market opportunity to bring increased end-to-end efficiency to our customers.”

http://www.nsn.com