Introduction to SDN
Software Defined Networking or simply SDN is one of the powerful and popular network architectures used in the current generation of enterprise network management. Here, the network is centrally programmed, or controlled using software applications. Apart from low operating cost, this form of networking ensures better traffic programmability, policy driver network supervision, greater agility and implementation of reliable network automation.
The services offered by software defined networking undoubtedly provide great results, but even if you are keen to choose SDN services it is difficult to pick the most prudent SDN vendor to match up with all your needs in no time. Well, not anymore!
List of Top 5 SDN Vendors
Provided below is the list of top 5 SDN vendors in market that can offer you premium features to choose from based on your enterprise network requirement.
1. Cisco ACI
The name of the company has become synonymous to the term ‘networking’. The company bought a start-up company named Insieme in the year 2013 and introduced ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) working on SDN solution.
Why is it popular?
It carries 6x higher throughput, 2x faster data backup, and 5x lower latency. It safeguards heterogeneous workloads with multiple data centres applying micro-segmentation. The micro-segmentation ensures proper level of security. It is fully automated and operates on a single management console.
Pros:
The company offers good technical support, good performance, easy scalability and programmability.
Cons:
The vendor lock-in feature, the steep charges of licenses, difficulty in troubleshooting certain technical issues, and integration with the third party networks resulting in too restraining or complicating things.
The Purchase Decision USPs:
The networking is innovation driven, so whichever new leading upgrades arrives your enterprise will directly get benefited out of it. It will result in more business process agility resulting in effective compliance and risk management. A good track record of product performance and functionality and an exemplary level of service expertise easily make it the favourite pick among top 5 SDN vendors in market.
2. VMware NSX
The company became one of the pioneers in the field of SDN solutions with the launch of NSX in the year 2013. It is one of its kinds of overlay networking solution that can work with any type of underlying switches.
Why is it popular?
It offers multi-cloud networking, cloud management, cloud-native apps support and context responsive micro-segmentation.
Pros:
It offers easiest form of integration with various platforms. The NSX-T platforms come with highly supportive graphical user interface.
Cons:
Though this SDN works with underlying switches, there is no underlay solution given in this network.
The Purchase Decision USP:
It helps in creating a wide network of Edge Gateways, Virtual Routers, Firewalls, Logical Switches, Load Balances and VPNs.
3. Arista Networks
The third spot on our list of top 5 SDN vendors in market is secured by Arista Networks. These are the SDN (software defined networking) hardware platforms.
Why is it popular?
For the large scale campus environments and datacenter, Arista Networks has pioneered the cognitive, software-driven cloud networking. Its victorious platforms redefine agility, scalability and resilience. Extensible Operating System is at the core of platforms of Arista Networks.
Pros:
It offers set of services and software those results in single interface for entire network management. The goal is to offer a device for orchestration and network automation. It is also intended to offer integration point and abstraction layer for the third party cloud orchestration platforms and SDN controllers.
Cons:
Key value intention of the purchase of Arista dilutes due to product acquisition on varied codebases.
The Purchase Decision USP:
The history of delivering sales in double –digit, no debt and valuation that is below average makes Arista Networks to be of great value for long term.
4. Juniper’s Contrail Network
Juniper Network entered SDN market with Contrail networking in the year 2013 and provides connectivity to any type of application running on virtual machine (VM).
Why is it popular?
It is easy to operate and provides customization on-demand. The virtual private network offered by the vendor is resilient and elastic and comes with the features of load balancing, bridging and routing.
Pros:
It offers seamless integration and united multi-cloud operation policy.
The Purchase Decision USP:
Strong pre-existing relationships in the market and good product roadmap with futuristic vision.
5. Cumulus Networks:
The last vendor on our list of top 5 SDN vendors in the market offers a Linux based operating system known as Cumulus Linux. It is the first network based operating system to support Minipack from Facebook.
Why is it popular?
It comes with easy automation and 95% enhanced time to production. In addition to that, it take 33% less capital expenditure than set standards.
Pros:
The SDN comes with a simple architecture resulting in less total cost of ownership.
Cons:
The graphical user interface requires more improvement. There is support available for only a few protocols.
The Purchase Decision USP:
Cumulus NetQ network operations tool offers visibility of underlay and overlay networks on a real time basis.
Hope the article on 5 topmost SDN solutions in market was interesting and gave valuable information on this technology which is changing how networks run.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am here to share my knowledge and experience in the field of networking with the goal being – “The more you share, the more you learn.”
I am a biotechnologist by qualification and a Network Enthusiast by interest. I developed interest in networking being in the company of a passionate Network Professional, my husband.
I am a strong believer of the fact that “learning is a constant process of discovering yourself.”
– Rashmi Bhardwaj (Author/Editor)
