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AT&T ConsultingNext Generation Network & Cloud Architecture
Wall Street Technology Association
September 20th, 2018
Chris SulenticDirector, Network Consulting
AT&T Internal Use Only
AT&T’s Software Defined Network Journey – Brief Overview
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AT&T SDN Transformation Journey (Where We’re Headed)
Hardware Layer – Shared, Common Off the Shelf (COTS), Homogeneous
Real-time, Agile customer enablement
Speed and Flexibility -- Improved efficiency, reduced cycle times,innovative services & apps, faster
Skills Pivot - Internal Transformation – People, Process, Culture
SoftwareDefined NetworkingOpen Source Software
White Box NFVNetwork Funct ion Vir tual izat ion
AT&T Is embracing NGEN technologies and retraining the workforce
SDN - Architecture of the Future
Why do organizations need to transform their WAN and their Data Center?
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Industry Evolution
Cloud Adoption Cloud Ready WANOrchestration and
Automation (Maturing)
AWS, Azure, Google etc. Utility Model
Cloud First Mentality
NFV DrivenSupports Internet Handoff
SecureDynamic and Flexible
Orchestration of Automation across the
EnterpriseBring “Cloud-Like Service”
to the Enterprise
Secure Cost Effective
High Availability Robust Performance
2007 -2012 - Cloud Adoption 2016 SD-WAN Maturity 2018 – Cloud Like Services in Enterprise
Cloud Adoption is leading the need for transformation of the WAN and Private Data Center
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Software Defined-WAN (SD-WAN)Reference Architecture & Lessons Learned
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NGEN WAN - NFV Architecture – What You Need to Know
Host OS (Linux)
Virtual Machine Virtual Machine
FlexWareSwitch
Virtual Machine
Juniper Abstraction Layer
Platform Forwarding Kernel Based Virtual Machine (KVM)
...
...
Built-in NICwith SR-IOV
Soft
wa
reH
ard
wa
re
Broadcom
Junos Control Plane(JCP)
Virtual Network Function (VNF)
Juniper/Cisco Router
Virtual Network Function (VNF)
(Juniper, Palo Alto FW)
1 x 1 GE copperManagement
RAM16 GB
SSD256 GB + 8 GB
Junos Device
Manager (JDM)
Juniper Ethernet switch abstraction Server-Like Architecture
SR-IOV
CPUIntel Broadwell 6 core
Firewall
WAN
Router
WAN Acceleration
WAN Edge Platform – Multiple Virtual Network Functions (VNFs)
Router, Firewall, SD-WAN + Others in Future
The new WAN edge is a server that consolidates multiple physical hardware devices via network function virtualization (NFV). It is a SERVER with network functionality that requires orchestration.
Orchestration Engine
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Lessons Learned – Software Defined WAN (SDWAN)
#ch Pain Point Lesson Learned
1Multiple vendors with various levels of
functionality
The SD-WAN arena has a multitude of different players and determining the appropriate platform is sometimes challenging. Cisco/Viptela and VeloCloud are leading the charge, but Versa, AT&T FlexWare, Nuage, and others offer compelling solutions.
2Multiple architecture options that impact
complexity
Internal teams need to learn an entire new suite of technologies and policy configurations (orchestration portal, gateways and gateway locations, underlay, overlay, cloud integration, policy configuration, next-generation security, NFV/VNFs, server configuration and sizing, performance-based routing)
3 Security Integration is Difficult
The biggest challenge is convincing the security team that an entirely new security architecture is both required and sufficiently mature. Leveraging Internet transport raises a whole host of questions around connectivity and security as direct internet access at the branch is the recommended approach. Convincing Security to adopt decentralized (FW at premise) or cloud based security approach is not an easy undertaking
4Design and Engineering of SD-WAN solution
portals or orchestration platformsPortal based provisioning based on templates and policy engines is foreign to most of today’s WAN engineers. The ultimate of providing automation is excellent, but the learning curve is steep.
5Integrating the current environment into the
SD-WAN vendor platform
The features and functionality vary significantly from traditional WAN edge routers. You now have to route over an underlay and an overlay networking. Designs for LAN integration and High Availability have evolved significantly, and require a different skillset.
6 Capacity PlanningMPLS bandwidth is shrinking and Internet/LTE bandwidth is increasing. Clients are struggling to ascertain what technologies to choose and provision on WAN circuits.
7Achieving the promise of fast, easy deployment across hundreds or thousands of remote sites
MEASURE TWICE – CUT ONCE. Deployment can occur fast and smooth if proper Design and Testing has been completed up front. Be prepared… timelines for design, engineering, PoC testing, deployment, and pilot testing will require longer time intervals to complete
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Software Defined -Data Center (SDDC)Digital Private Cloud
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Concept Slide – Network Transformation via Software Defined Technologies
Concept Slide: Source https://www.ntt-review.jp
Network Architecture Has Evolved Significantly Over the Last Several Yearswith the Maturation of Software Defined Technologies
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Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Architecture Example
Hypervisor Hypervisor Hypervisor Container Bare Metal Load Balancer Storage Firewall Router Mainframe
Network Element Manager/Controller
Policy Governance
Policy Approvals
End
Points
Automation
Off Premise CloudIntegration
AutomationOrchestration
SDN Fabric
Compute/Storage Integration
API Framework
AnsibleSource Code Management
SDN Fabric Security ControlsMulti
TenancyWhite List
Stateless FW
Service Chaining
Common ServicesAD-NTP-DNS-DHCP-IPAM-CMDB
IsolationRemediation
ResponseNotification
SDN Fabric Analytics - Reporting
Monitoring Reporting Notification
Closed Loop Remediation
Administration and Governance
Vulnerability
OperationsIntegration
Overlay Networking
The next generation Software Defined Architecture will have hardware (underlay) for interconnectingendpoints, but all service functionality will be in software (e.g. Software Defined)
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Lessons Learned -- Software Defined Data Center (SDDC)
# Pain Point Lesson Learned
1Silo based approach inhibits solutioning
effectiveness
There must be a focus on having a “cross disciplinary private cloud” engineering and architecture Program team that works daily on the solution, with all parties collaborating for a holistic architecture approach. Eliminates finger pointing and missed requirements.
2Lack of program governance increases risk of non-
holistic integration
Diligent oversight by senior leadership is a must. Requires involvement of the right technical executive(s) to oversee a cohesive plan encompassing all aspects of the SDN environment. Silo-based approaches to delivering solutions will in general cause missteps and create potentially significant delays.
3There will be multiple opinions on architectural
decisions
Plan on needing an executive or steering committee to arbitrate disputes on direction (Executive weekly / bi-weekly, Directors daily/ weekly; length of time should encompass addressing issues to maintain time to market requirements).
4Delaying automation significantly diminishes the
benefits / rationale for SDN
Plan for automation from day 1. This will require collaboration across all towers (compute, storage, application, network, security). Without the transformational benefits of automation, SDN becomes just another complex technology.
5Silo development of tower architecture and use
cases (aka APIs) creates re-workLeverage holistic / integrated architecture and documented use cases / requirements (aka APIs) to minimize rework
6Delayed focus on operational integration may
inhibit adoption and additional tool sprawl (new and legacy)
Ensure operational tools strategy is incorporated into the engineering and architecture strategy. Current tools will remain during transition and the decision to modify current tools vs purchasing new tools (for SDN) is a difficult task requiring significant due diligence.
7Absence of a plan around skills adaptation results
in employee resistance to adoptionCross train employees to become virtual / API engineers that understand their respective towers (network, storage and compute virtualization); concurrently hire expertise onto the staff.
8Complexity and need to integrate traditionally separate IT towers increases project timelines
MEASURE TWICE – CUT ONCE. Be prepared… timelines for design, engineering, PoC testing, deployment, and pilot testing will require longer time intervals to complete
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ATT Consulting Services
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Strategic Network PlanningServices focused on Enterprise-wide strategic network planning, aligning emerging technology, architecture, vendor, platform and design considerations with customer’s requirements. Development of architectural roadmap, risks/benefits, business case rationale and execution timelines.
Network TransformationLife cycle architecture, design and engineering services for the integration of multivendor LAN/WLAN, WAN, MAN, MPLS, SDN and Internet based solutions. Piloting and proof of concept testing for validation of engineered design. End-to-end integration for high performing, highly secure application delivery across premise and Cloud based applications.
Network OptimizationTactical assessment of network infrastructure, focused on improving design and performance characteristics of the existing infrastructure to support application delivery. Leverage best practices for resiliency, traffic engineering, capacity planning, and QoS to develop recommendations for network tuning and performance optimization.
Network Consulting Services Portfolio
Our portfolio of services and expertise on staff can help customers accelerate transformation and reduce risks associated with the complexity of adopting emerging technologies
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