Category Archives: Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Building “Intelligent” and Highly Automated Data Centers

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Humair

I’ve been fortunate to work in a space where I’ve had exposure to see and discuss infrastructure and architecture/design of some of the most highly utilized and scalable networks in the world. It’s fair to say living in Silicon Valley … Continue reading →

Posted in Network Architecture, Network Security, Networking, Technology, Troubleshooting, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware | Tagged Alexey Andreyev, automated data center, automated networks, BGP controller, Data Center, Facebook, Facebook Auto-Remediation, Facebook Director of Network Engineering, Facebook network engineer, FBAR, historical data analysis, intelligent data center, intelligent networks, Najam Ahmad, network architecture, network behavioral analysis, network modularity, network programmability, NSX, NSX REST API, orchestration, orchestration of workflows, programmability, REST API, SDN, Self-healing, Self-healing network, Silicon Valley, software defined networking, traffic engineering, vmware, VMware NSX, VMware NSX REST API | Leave a comment

Automating VMware NSX Security Rules Creation with Splunk and Python

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Humair

If you haven’t already, checkout my post on the VMware Network Virtualization blog where I describe and show a demo of how Splunk can be used to monitor the VMware NSX distributed firewall (DFW), and, with a little Python code, … Continue reading →

Posted in Labs, Network Security, Networking, Programming Languages, Python, Security, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware, VMware | Tagged automating VMware NSX security rules creation with Splunk and Python, monitor the NSX DFW, monitor the NSX distributed firewall, monitor the VMware NSX DFW, monitor the VMware NSX distributed firewall, Network Virtualization, Network Virtualization blog, NSX, NSX App for Splunk, NSX automation, NSX DFW, NSX DFW logging, NSX Distributed Firewall, NSX Distributed Firewall logging, NSX REST API, NSX REST API Python, Python, REST API, Splunk, Spunk NSX, Spunk NSX integration, vmware, VMware Network Virtualization blog, VMware NSX, VMware NSX App for Splunk, VMware NSX automation, VMware NSX DFW, VMware NSX DFW logging, VMware NSX Distributed Firewall, VMware NSX Distributed Firewall logging, VMware NSX REST API | 1 Comment

Reset VMware NSX-V DFW to Default Setting via NSX REST API with Python

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Humair

I’ve been playing with the VMware NSX-V 6.2 REST API using both a browser based REST API client and Python. While I was exploring different methods, I deleted the default NSX-V Distributed Firewall (DFW) L3 section via REST API call … Continue reading →

Posted in Labs, Network Security, Networking, Programming Languages, Python, Security, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware, VMware | Tagged Delete DFW rule, Delete DFW rules, Delete NSX DFW rule, Delete NSX DFW rules, Delete NSX-V DFW rule, Delete NSX-V DFW rules, Delete VMware NSX DFW rule, Delete VMware NSX DFW rules, Delete VMware NSX-V DFW rule, Delete VMware NSX-V DFW rules, DFW, DFW L3 section, DFW REST API, distributed firewall, NSX, NSX 6.2, NSX DFW, NSX DFW L3 section, NSX Distributed Firewall, NSX REST API, NSX-V, NSX-V 6.2, NSX-V DFW, NSX-V DFW L3 section, NSX-V Distributed Firewall, NSX-V REST API, Python, Python NSX 6.2 REST API, Python NSX REST API, Reset NSX DFW to Default Setting, Reset NSX DFW to Default Setting via NSX REST API with Python, Reset NSX-V 6.2 DFW to Default Setting, Reset NSX-V DFW to Default Setting, Reset NSX-V DFW to Default Setting via NSX REST API with Python, reset the DFW, reset the Distributed Firewall, Reset VMware NSX DFW to Default Setting via NSX REST API with Python, Reset VMware NSX-V DFW to Default Setting via NSX REST API with Python, REST API, vmware, VMware NSX, VMware NSX 6.2, VMware NSX DFW default L3 section, VMware NSX DFW REST API, VMware NSX Python Scripts, VMware NSX REST API, VMware NSX-V, VMware NSX-V 6.2, VMware NSX-V DFW, VMware NSX-V DFW default L3 section, VMware NSX-V DFW Default Setting, VMware NSX-V Python Scripts, VMware NSX-V REST API | Leave a comment

VMware NSX and Comprehensive Security for the SDDC

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Humair

I’ve written several prior articles on the VMware NSX network virtualization platform as it relates to security. NSX offers such a robust platform for security, I sometimes come across folks interested in NSX yet not aware of the full potential … Continue reading →

Posted in Check Point, Network Architecture, Network Security, Networking, Security, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware | Tagged advanced security, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, Application Control, Check Point, Check Point vSEC, Check Point vSEC solution, checkpoint, checkpoint vsec, demo, DFW, distributed firewall, distributed security architecture, Identity Awareness, IDS, Intel, IPS, L5-L7, L5-L7 NSX security, L5-L7 security, McAfee, microsegmentation, microsegmentation model, network virtualization platform, NSX, NSX advanced security, NSX advanced security policies, NSX Check Point Demo, NSX Check Point Demo Video, NSX Check Point Video, NSX Check Point vSEC solution, nsx checkpoint, nsx checkpoint vsec, NSX DFW, NSX Distributed Firewall, NSX network virtualization, NSX network virtualization platform, NSX Technology Partners, NSX third party security products, Palo Alto Networks, perimeter-centric security, Rapid 7, security, Symmantec, Threat Emulation, Trend Micro, Tufin, URL Filtering, video, virtualization, vmware, vmware checkpoint vsec, VMware network virtualization, VMware network virtualization platform, VMware NSX, VMware NSX advanced security, VMware NSX advanced security policies, VMware NSX Check Point vSEC Demo, VMware NSX Check Point vSEC Demo Video, VMware NSX Check Point vSEC solution, VMware NSX Check Point vSEC Video, vmware nsx checkpoint vsec, VMware NSX DFW, VMware NSX Distributed Firewall, VMware NSX network virtualization, VMware NSX network virtualization platform, VMware NSX Technology Partners, VMware NSX third party security products, vritualization security, vritualization security services, vSEC | Leave a comment

VMware NSX 6.2 Adds Cross-vCenter Networking and Security

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Humair

Ahead of this year’s VMworld which was just this past week (08/30 – 09/03), VMware recently released NSX 6.2 with many new and exciting features. You can see a list of new features listed in the NSX 6.2 online release … Continue reading →

Posted in Network Architecture, Networking, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware | Tagged 8 NSX Managers, ARP snooping, Central CLI, CLI monitoring, communication channel health monitoring, Cross-VC NSX, Cross-VC NSX object, Cross-VC NSX objects, Cross-vCenter, Cross-vCenter Networking and Security, DFW, DHCP snooping, distributed firewall, DSX logical router, eight NSX Managers, global, host locale ID, ip address, IP Set, local egress, locale ID, logical router, logical switch, MAC address, MAC Set, multi-site deployment, multi-vcenter NSX, Network Virtualization, north-south, North-South traffic, NSX, NSX 6.2, NSX 6.2 new feature, NSX Controller Cluster, NSX Controllers, NSX DFW, NSX Distributed Firewall, NSX DLR, nsx logical router, NSX logical switch, NSX LS, NSX Manager, NSX multi-site deployment, NSX network virtualization, NSX Security Groups, NSX UDLR, NSX Universal Controller Cluster, NSX Universal Controllers, NSX Universal DFW, NSX Universal DFW Rules, NSX Universal Distributed Firewall, NSX Universal Distributed Logical Router, NSX Universal Logical Switch, NSX Universal LS, NSX Universal Rules, NSX Universal Synchronization Service, NSX Universal Transport Zone, NSX UTZ, NSX with multiple vCenters, primary NSX Manager, secondary NSX Manager, security, Security Groups, trace flow, UDLR, universal, Universal Controller Cluster, Universal DFW, Universal DFW rules, Universal Distributed Firewall, Universal distributed firewall rules, Universal Distributed Logical Router, Universal DLR, Universal Logical Switch, Universal LS, Universal rules, Universal Synchronization Service, Universal Transport Zone, UTZ, vCenter, VMware network virtualization, VMware NSX 6.2, VMware NSX Manager, VMware vCenter, VSS | 1 Comment

VMware NSX: Advanced Security Services with Check Point vSEC

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Humair

In early 2014, the well known security company, Check Point, announced it was collaborating with VMware to integrate its security software with NSX to help automate and simplify the provisioning of advanced security services. Just last month, Check Point announced … Continue reading →

Posted in Network Architecture, Network Security, Networking, Security, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware | Tagged advanced security, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, Application Control, Check Point, Check Point vSEC, Check Point vSEC solution, checkpoint, checkpoint vsec, DFW, distributed firewall, distributed security architecture, Identity Awareness, IDS, Intel, IPS, L5-L7, L5-L7 NSX security, L5-L7 security, McAfee, microsegmentation, microsegmentation model, network virtualization platform, NSX, NSX advanced security, NSX advanced security policies, NSX Check Point vSEC solution, nsx checkpoint, nsx checkpoint vsec, NSX DFW, NSX Distributed Firewall, NSX network virtualization, NSX network virtualization platform, NSX Technology Partners, NSX third party security products, Palo Alto Networks, perimeter-centric security, Rapid 7, security, Symmantec, Threat Emulation, Trend Micro, Tufin, URL Filtering, virtualization, vmware, vmware checkpoint vsec, VMware network virtualization, VMware network virtualization platform, VMware NSX, VMware NSX advanced security, VMware NSX advanced security policies, VMware NSX Check Point vSEC solution, vmware nsx checkpoint vsec, VMware NSX DFW, VMware NSX Distributed Firewall, VMware NSX network virtualization, VMware NSX network virtualization platform, VMware NSX Technology Partners, VMware NSX third party security products, vritualization security, vritualization security services, vSEC | Leave a comment

Hyper-Converged with Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Humair

There’s a lot of interesting things going on in the industry with servers, storage, and networking: SDN (software defined networking), SDS (software defined storage), NFV (network function virtualization), SD-WAN (software defined WAN), hyper-convergence, and more and more focus on private … Continue reading →

Posted in Dell, Dell Force10, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL, Labs, Network Architecture, Networking, Servers, Software Defined Storage (SDS), Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware, VMware VSAN | Tagged Dell, Dell EVO:RAIL RA, Dell EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell N4064, Dell Networking, Dell Networking Dell-EVO:RAIL RA, Dell Networking Dell-EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Networking EVO:RAIL RA, Dell Networking EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Networking N-series, Dell Networking N4032, Dell Networking N4064, Dell Networking S4048-ON, Dell Networking S4810, Dell Networking S4820T, Dell Networking S5000, Dell Networking S6000, Dell Networking S6000-ON, Dell Networking Z9500, Dell S4048-ON, Dell S4810, Dell S4820T, Dell S5000, Dell S6000, Dell S6000-ON, Dell VMware EVO-RAIL, Dell VMware EVO:RAIL RA, Dell VMware EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Z9500, Dell-VMware EVO RAIL solution, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL solution, EVO, EVO RAIL Appliance, EVO RAIL configuration, EVO-RAIL, EVO:RAIL, EVO:RAIL Appliance, EVO:RAIL cluster, EVO:RAIL configuration, EVO:RAIL management daemon, EVO:RAIL MARVIN, EVO:RAIL MARVIN daemon, EVO:RAIL Marvin Management, EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, hyper-converged, hyper-converged infrastructure appliance, hyperconverged, IPv4 multicast, IPv6 multicast, Loudmouth, MARVIN, N-series, N4000, N4000-series, N4032, N4064, RAIL, S-series, S4048-ON, S4810, S4820T, S5000, S6000, S6000-ON, SDS, software defined storage, vCenter Server Appliance, VCSA, virtualization platform, vmware, VMware EVO:RAIL, VMware EVO:RAIL cluster, VMware EVO:RAIL configuration, VMware EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, VMware Loudmouth, VMware vCenter Server Appliance, VMware VCSA, VMware VSAN, VSAN, VSAN Cache, VSAN storage, Z-series, Z9500, Zeroconf | Leave a comment

Dell Networking with Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Humair

Checkout the Dell Networking with Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture available here on Dell.com. In this white paper, I discuss the details of the network connectivity at the ToR for the Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL appliance, reference architecture and respective network configuration required, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dell, Dell Force10, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL, Labs, Network Architecture, Networking, Servers, Storage, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware, VMware, VMware VSAN | Tagged Dell, Dell EVO:RAIL RA, Dell EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell N4064, Dell Networking, Dell Networking Dell-EVO:RAIL RA, Dell Networking Dell-EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Networking EVO:RAIL RA, Dell Networking EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Networking N-series, Dell Networking N4032, Dell Networking N4064, Dell Networking S4048-ON, Dell Networking S4810, Dell Networking S4820T, Dell Networking S5000, Dell Networking S6000, Dell Networking S6000-ON, Dell Networking Z9500, Dell S4048-ON, Dell S4810, Dell S4820T, Dell S5000, Dell S6000, Dell S6000-ON, Dell VMware EVO-RAIL, Dell VMware EVO:RAIL RA, Dell VMware EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, Dell Z9500, Dell-VMware EVO RAIL solution, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL, Dell-VMware EVO:RAIL solution, EVO, EVO RAIL Appliance, EVO RAIL configuration, EVO-RAIL, EVO:RAIL, EVO:RAIL Appliance, EVO:RAIL cluster, EVO:RAIL configuration, EVO:RAIL management daemon, EVO:RAIL MARVIN, EVO:RAIL MARVIN daemon, EVO:RAIL Marvin Management, EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, hyper-converged, hyper-converged infrastructure appliance, hyperconverged, IPv4 multicast, IPv6 multicast, Loudmouth, MARVIN, N-series, N4000, N4000-series, N4032, N4064, RAIL, S-series, S4048-ON, S4810, S4820T, S5000, S6000, S6000-ON, SDS, software defined storage, vCenter Server Appliance, VCSA, virtualization platform, vmware, VMware EVO:RAIL, VMware EVO:RAIL cluster, VMware EVO:RAIL configuration, VMware EVO:RAIL Reference Architecture, VMware Loudmouth, VMware vCenter Server Appliance, VMware VCSA, VMware VSAN, VSAN, VSAN Cache, VSAN storage, Z-series, Z9500, Zeroconf | Leave a comment

Dell Open Networking and SDN – All About Disaggregation

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Humair

When Dell first announced its Open Networking initiative a little over a year ago, they were the first major networking vendor to do so. Very similar to what Dell did for servers, Dell is now doing for networking – allowing … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Switch Networks, Big Switch Networks, Cumulus Linux, Dell, Dell Force10, IP Infusion, Microsoft, Midokura, Midokura, NEC, NEC, Networking, Technology | Tagged 1000BASET, 100GbE, 10GbE, 40GbE, bare metal, bare metal physical switch, bare metal switch, BCF, Big Cloud Fabric, Big Switch, Big Switch Networks, Big Switch Networks Switch Light OS, Big Tap Monitoring Fabric, boot loader, BusyBox, control plane, Cumulus, Cumulus Linux, Cumulus Linux OS, Cumulus Networks Cumulus Linux OS, data plane, Dell, Dell 100GbE, Dell 100GbE Switch, Dell Force10, Dell multi-rate switching, Dell Networking Operating System, Dell Networking S3048-ON, Dell Networking S4048-ON, Dell Networking S4810-ON, Dell Networking S6000-ON, Dell Networking Z9100-ON, Dell Networking Z9100-ON 100GbE, Dell Open Networking, Dell S3048-ON, Dell S4048-ON, Dell S4810-ON, Dell S6000-ON, Dell Z9100-ON, Dell Z9100-ON 100GbE, Dell Z9100-ON multi-rate switching, DNOS, enhanced boot loader, IP Infusion, IP Infusion OcNOS, Label Distribution Protocol, LDP, linux, Microsoft, Midokura, MPLS, multi-rate switching, Multiprotocol Label Switching, NEC, network OS, Network Virtualization, NSX, OcNOS, ONIE, ONL, Open Compute Project, Open Network Linux, Open Networking, Open Networking Install Environment, OpenFlow, Quagga, Quagga routing suite, S3048-ON, S4048-ON, S4810-ON, S6000-ON, SDN, Switch Light OS, U-Boot, Virtual Private LAN Service, vmware, VMware NSX, VPLS, VXLAN, VXLAN L2 Hardware Gateway, Z9100-ON, Z9100-ON 100GbE | Leave a comment

6WIND – From Data Plane Acceleration to Virtual Appliances

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Humair

6WIND is an interesting company I’ve been following for some time now, initially out of curiosity, and then out of more curiosity :-). They first started as a networking software company claiming to solve performance challenges for software defined networks … Continue reading →

Posted in 6WIND, 6WIND, Dell, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, Linux, Network Architecture, Networking, Operating Systems, Servers, Technology, Virtualization and Cloud Computing | Tagged 6WIND, 6WIND packet processing software, 6WIND Turbo IPsec, 6WIND Turbo Router, 6WIND Virtual Accelerator, 6WINDGate, 6WINDGate packet processing software, CPU core, CPU cores, CPU multi-core multi-processor architecture, Data Plane Acceleration, Data Plane Development Kit, Dell, Dell PowerEdge, Dell PowerEdge Server, Dell Server, DPDK, Emulex, forwarding throughput, hypervisor, Intel, Intel CPU multi-core multi-processor architecture, Intel Data Plane Development Kit, Intel DPDK, Intel Xeon, Intel Xeon processor, kernel, KVM, L3 forwarding throughput, linux, Linux kernel, Linux network stack, Linux networking stack, Linux Open vSwitch, Linux operating system, Linux OS, Linux OVS switch, Linux user space, Mellanox, multi-core multi-processor architecture, network function virtualization, network packet processing, networking software company, networking stack, NFV, Open Networking Summit, Open vSwitch, Open vSwitch Conference, OVDK, OVS, OVS switch, packet processing, packet processing software, PowerEdge, PowerEdge server, SDN, Separate Control Plane and Data Plane, software defined networking, standard Linux networking stack, TCP/IP stack, throughput, user space, Vincent Jardin, Virtual Accelerator, virtual appliance, virtual networking, virtualization, Xeon, Xeon processor, zero-copy, zero-copy mode | Leave a comment