Arista Software Driven Cloud Networking (SDCN), combines the principles that have made cloud computing the unstoppable force that it is: automation, self service provisioning, and linear scaling of both performance and economics coupled with the recent trend in Software Driven Cloud Networking that delivers: network virtualization, custom programmability, simplified architectures, and more realistic price points to the table. This combination creates a best-in-class software foundation for maximizing the value of the network to both the enterprise and service provider datacenter: a new architecture for the most mission-critical location within the IT infrastructure that simplifies management and provisioning, speeds up service delivery, lowers costs and creates opportunities for competitive differentiation, while putting control and visibility back in the hands of the network and systems administrators.

Featured Video: Network Provisioning

Software Defined Cloud Networking

The Four Pillars of Arista's Software Driven Cloud Networking are:

Pillar 1: Universal Cloud Network

  • Scalable standards-based MLAG for L2, ECMP for Layer 3
  • Non Blocking Spline™ / Leaf-Spine for physical, virtual and container workloads

Pillar 2: Cloud Control

  • Standards Based Telemetry & Visibility : AEM, ZTP / ZTR, LANZ, DANZ 2017, RAIL etc.
  • NetDB - Network wide State

Pillar 3: Network Wide Containerization and Virtualization

  • Multi Vendor API Support with eAPI
  • Support for VMware and NSX with VXLAN and VMTracer
  • Support for Microsoft OMI and Openstack OVSDB
  • Support for containerization based on Docker

Pillar 4: Automation, Analytics and All Cloud Networking

  • CloudVision for workload automations, hitless control rollback and workflow telemetry and analytics
  • Open and Single Point of Network-Wide State with no proprietary lock in CloudVision®
  • Open-partner integration with Docker HP, F5, Infinera, PAN, Microsoft, Red Hat, and VMware

OpenWorkload is a network application enabling open workload portability, automation through integration with leading virtualization and orchestration systems, and simplified troubleshooting by offering complete physical and virtual visibility.

Seamless Scaling - full support for network virtualization, connecting to major SDN controllers

Integrated Orchestration - interfaces to VMware, OpenStack, Microsoft, Chef, Puppet, Ansible and more to simplify provisioning

Workload Visibility to the VM-level, enabling portable policies, persistent monitoring, and rapid troubleshooting of cloud networks.

Featured Video: EOS Network Applications

EOS Network Applications

Designed to integrate with VMware, OpenStack and Microsoft OMI, Arista’s open architecture allows for integration with any virtualization and orchestration system. Built on top of the Arista Unified Cloud Network - enabling end-to-end network virtualization now workloads can be portable while preserving their addressing and policies - this enables simplified scale-out, and drastically simpler workload placement within the datacenter.

OpenFlow & DirectFlow

Arista EOS supports OpenFlow 1.0 controlled by OpenFlow controllers for filtering and redirecting traffic. Arista EOS also supports a controller-less mode relying on Arista's DirectFlow to direct traffic to the SDN applications (for example, TAP aggregators). This lets the production network run standard IP routing protocols, while enabling certain flow handling to be configured programmatically for SDN applications. All the 7050 series switches support OpenFlow and DirectFlow, and the topology can be configured via eAPI, Arista’s JSON-over-HTTP configuration solution.

Featured Video: Arista OpenFlow & DirectFlow

Arista OpenFlow and DirectFlow
    • Available on the 7050 Series, Arista DirectFlow is a mode that lets users configure flow handling via the CLI or Arista EOS APIs (eAPI).
  • DirectFlow combines the flexibility of a programmable data plane with the reliability of proven routing and bridging technology.
  • The matches and actions available for flows include those available in the OpenFlow 1.0 specifications, providing a standard match and action policy that the SDN community is familiar with.
  • Arista DirectFlow is intended to complement OpenFlow for greater flexibility and broader ecosystem integration.

SDCN - Literature

 

SDCN - What People Are Saying

 

OpenWorkload - Partners & Extensions

 

OpenFlow - Literature

SDCN - Media

 

OpenWorkload - Media