Network Virtualization

last updated on 2009-03-27

Network virtualization combines network hardware, software, and functionality into a single administrative entity, often called a virtual network. There are two types of virtual networks: external and internal.

The OpenSolaris Crossbow project* offers an internal network virtualization solution that provides network-like connectivity and data exchange to the zones and virtual machines on a single system. This type of scenario is often called "network-in-a-box."

The Crossbow project has virtualization components and components for bandwidth management and quality of service, or "resource control," which can be used to simulate an entire network on a single host by "building a network in a box." The simulated network can be used to consolidate a cluster of servers onto a single host. Using Crossbow technology, you can create virtual NICs (VNICs) and switches; manage bandwidth across VNICs, Solaris Containers, and virtual machines; provide quality of service (QoS); and monitor the performance and status of the virtualized network.

Here are additional Crossbow resources:

• Crossbow documentation page*, which provides information about VNICs and other virtualization features in Crossbow Virtualization Architecture and provides other documents

• Crossbow snapshots page*, where you can download the software

• New Getting Started With OpenSolaris Project Crossbow or Network Virtualization, a BigAdmin feature article

• New Stephanie Brucker's blog, Crossbow Docs Are Here (aka Network Virtualization and Resource Management), which provides guidance on where to go for various Crossbow information and includes descriptions of guides that are relevant to system administrators

• New Using the Features of Project Crossbow*, which compares the benefits of using virtual networks to traditional networks and provides use cases for virtual networks with Crossbow

• New Sunay Tripathi's blog, which provides information such as "Crossbow - Network Virtualization Architecture Comes to Life"

New And here's an article from NetworkWorld.com* that describes what the network becomes in a virtualized enterprise: Not your father's VLAN*