A funny thing happened on our way from virtualization to the cloud world ! The domain of cloud application developers and network started to converge. Converge might not be the right word – because network builders continue to build robust networks and that has not been antiquated; application developers will continue to develop interesting applications. But what has happened is a common layer and a convergence of interests between cloud application builders and network builders is happening.
Few points to note:
- I said and meant Cloud Application Builders – I do believe that there are many roles in the application domain and the role of an Application Builder is slightly different from Application Developer . I think I need a blog dedicate to this, for now the difference is in the focus – Cloud Application Builders will focus more on the infrastructure of applications – including scalability, availability, …
- Also, cloud application builders literally have to worry about the essential cloud monikers (see my blog http://doubleclix.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/six-essential-traits-of-a-cloud-infrastructure-or-how-to-define-a-cloud-without-defining-it/
- And Cloud Application Builders worry about the application archetypes and the optimum infrastructure for them
- Going back, Cloud Networking is not just about speeds and feeds. It is also about overlays, isolation and abstract policy based provisioning in addition to traditional basic routing and switching.
- In short the new network landscape of building networks for clouds has an application component
- This is very evident in vSphere 4.0 – the virtual switch like the Nexus 1K as well as concepts like VNLink, VNTag, and distributed virtual switch.+
- And add to the mix the interfacing with the traditional network layer and the devices thereof from access to distribution to the core …
In short, this blog is about digging deeper into the vNetwork feature set covering security, availability and most importantly scalability. The discussions will be in the context of popular cloud infrastructure patterns for various cloud application archetypes. A morphing of Cloud Application Builders and Cloud Network Builders
Cheers & I welcome your comments, insights and queries ...
