At this point you should begin to understand how the underlying physical architecture, in tandem with the NSX-T software platform, allows you to begin to consume the basic network, security and automation use cases. To unlock these use cases, note that both the physical platform (Underlay) and the software layer on top (Overlay and NSX-T Software features) play complementary and equally important roles. Some Day 0 examples include:
- Data Center Network at Scale and Failure Domain Isolation: NSX-T, VxBlock 1000 and Dell EMC Vscale.
- Multi-Layer Security and Micro-Segmentation: L2-L7 Security and Firewall services delivered in-kernel and at the NSX-T Edge.
- Software Defined Automation and Orchestration: VxBlock Central and NSX-T together offer the ability to systematically integrate via API with external Cloud Management Platforms and systems such as VMware VCF, VxBlock Central, VMware vRealize Automation and VMware vRealize Operations, and other third party systems and tools. This allows for the provisioning of network and security infrastructure ‘on the fly’, a key enabling technology that enables businesses to deliver modern applications efficiently and in a rapid and scalable fashion.
- Software Defined Network Visibility, Telemetry, and Insight: VxBlock Central, VxBlock AMP and NSX-T together help provide end to end analysis, and insight into the underlay (the physical) and overlay (the virtual). The software defined promise of scale, simplicity, and flexibility requires that we have a full understanding at a point in time basis of the system’s underlying configuration, health, and structure.
The above provides a brief overview of the benefits of consuming VMware NSX-T, underpinned by a scalable physical and persistent engineered architecture. Both the software defined network layer, delivered by VMware NSX-T, and the Converged Infrastructure (CI) layer are of equal importance in delivering business outcomes and realizing the base set of use cases.
The next section provides an overview of how both the hardware and software platform will likely evolve over time to enhance and deepen the offering, to deliver even greater system availability, manageability, performance and interoperability, and to meet the demands of the hybrid cloud.