CRN: The coolest software-defined networking technologies of 2017

There is no doubt that software-defined networking (SDN) will continue to play a bigger role in the networking industry as market leaders such as Cisco and VMware continue to invest more in SDN strategies in 2017. Users are looking to leverage SDN to become more agile and help reduce Capex and Opex. Traditional vendors and startups are working to build the next great software-defined product for the growing market. Research firm IDC expects the SD-WAN market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 90% over the next few years, from $225 million in 2016 to $6 billion in 2020. Here are the 10 most sought-after SDN technologies in the first half of 2017.

128T Networking Platform

Startup 128 Technology has built a software-based routing product to implement session-oriented and service-centric functions. 128T Networking Platform is a distributed routing and network service product that uses secure routing to simplify network architecture, provide end-to-end control and visibility without disrupting existing network infrastructure, and enables users to build session-based software-defined and service-centric. The platform is sold on a subscription basis. 128T Networking Platform can natively provide stateful firewalls, load balancing and other advanced network functions, alleviating the need for expensive stand-alone devices. The company said that the session-oriented platform is able to eliminate overlay and tunnel technologies that are prone to latency and complexity.

Cato Cloud

Cato Networks launched its software-defined wide area network service, Cato Cloud, this year. The product extends the WAN through policy-based routing, an SLA-backed global backbone, enterprise-grade network security, and cloud and mobile support that reduces reliance on MPLS services. The company said Cato Cloud brings together secure networks to reduce the cost and complexity of existing networks. The product eliminates the need for additional firewalls, web filters, VPNs, and other security products required for traditional SD-WAN deployments. Cato Networks said that by embedding security into the network architecture, Cato Cloud can enable secure Internet access from branch offices without the need for backhaul or distributed security devices. Cisco ACI

It's hard to talk about SDN without mentioning Cisco's Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), which was launched four years ago and is based on the Cisco Nexus 9000 switch and its Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). Partners say the average deployment cost of ACI can be expensive, costing between $200,000 and $250,000, and the typical user is a large enterprise or service provider. But Cisco said in its third-quarter earnings report that ACI grew 42% year-on-year. "Cisco's ACI portfolio grew 42% as users migrate to 100G and look to network automation, improved network performance, visibility and security," said Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. "Our APIC adoption continues to grow rapidly, with more than 380 new ACI users in the third quarter, bringing the total number of users to nearly 3,500." Cisco Software-Defined Access

Cisco last month unveiled what it calls a "revolutionary" networking platform, one of the biggest networking products in the company's history. A key aspect of the new architecture is the networking giant's new software-defined access, which automates tasks like troubleshooting, configuration, and more. SD-Access automates policy and network segmentation through a single network fabric to simplify network access for users, devices, and more. Cisco says the product reduces network configuration by 67%, improves problem resolution efficiency by 80%, reduces the impact of security breaches by 48%, and reduces Opex spending by 61%.

Pluribus Networks Adaptive Cloud Architecture

Pluribus Networks recently unveiled its new Adaptive Cloud Architecture as a simple, dynamic and secure way to build a holistic distributed network that brings the scale, elasticity and adaptability of cloud computing to modern data centers. The virtualized architecture integrates a wide range of advanced network services while providing visibility of all network traffic. The product is built on Pluribus's Netvisor network virtualization software, runs without a controller, and provides an elastic network with a wide range of deployment options, simplifying operations, improving efficiency and reducing costs. The product can be deployed in the data center or on specific racks, servers, and hyper-converged infrastructures from vendors such as Nutanix and Dell.

SnapRoute's FlexSwitch

FlexSwitch, the flagship product of startup Snaproute, is a fully programmable open source software stack designed to help companies improve the management of their cloud systems. SnapRoute's FlexSwitch makes every component of the network stack fully visible to operators and fully modular, so operators can continuously install or update infrastructure without impacting or risking the business. The SDN product can run on any bare metal hardware and supports operators to manage the network using a variety of forms, including CLI, JSON, or tools like Puppet or Chef. SnapRoute said that FlexSwitch exposes the code as open source and accesses the code through a set of standard APIs, enabling operators to quickly correlate network anomalies and identify problems in the network before they occur.

Talari Networks SD-WAN

Software-defined wide area network vendor Talari Networks has launched an SD-WAN product that can be transmitted through the cloud or as an appliance-based product based on a subscription-based pricing model. The company has created a responsive network that adapts to bandwidth requirements and actual network conditions in real time to ensure that critical applications have priority. Whether using MPLS or hybrid WAN MPLS and broadband WAN, Internet or wireless, it can bring continuous availability and predictable performance. In June of this year, Talari further expanded its channel and market coverage through a new distribution partnership with Tech Data.

Versa Cloud IP Platform

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SD-WAN startup Versa Networks has beefed up its Versa Cloud IP platform offering with the recent additions of new security features, native branch networking and the ability to host third-party virtual network functions (VNFs) to help customers transition smoothly to SD-WAN. The multi-tenant platform now includes Versa Director, which provides a single pane of glass for lifecycle management and real-time monitoring, as well as its big data analytics platform, Versa Analytics. The enhanced platform enables organizations to virtualize and software-define their entire branch and WAN to reduce complexity and increase agility. The company is also adding multimedia malware security and in-building LTE to the platform for more resilient deployments with less clutter. VMware NSX 6.3

Another leading SDN product is VMware NSX. VMware launched NSX 6.3 this year, which has significant performance improvements in scalability in multi-tenant environments compared to previous versions. The new version uses VMware vRealize Network Insight, a technology integrated from the acquisition of Arkin last year, to provide management and intelligence for software-defined data center environments. NSX 6.3 also includes support for micro-segmentation capabilities, including an application rule manager that enables channel partners to easily help users decide which part of their infrastructure to micro-segment. In VMware's first quarter 2018 financial report, the number of subscriptions for NSX licenses increased by more than 50% year-on-year, and there are currently more than 2,600 NSX users.

VMware NSX-T

VMware's NSX-T product, launched this year, is mainly used in non-vSphere environments. VMware's Chief Operating Officer of Products and Cloud Services Rajiv Ramaswami said that the new NSX-T product can achieve network and security management of application frameworks and architectures with different endpoints and technology stacks. NSX-T has nothing to do with the hypervisor, and has expanded KVM and VMware Photon container support, and supports new application architectures including container network interfaces. VMware said that the product's roadmap will eventually focus on container environments based on open source software.