As virtualization spreads throughout data centers, a single server can now represent dozens of virtual servers which can create complex infrastructures within a virtual environment. When accessing virtual machines within that virtual server, traffic does not leave that server to be inspected by traditional router, firewall and IPS devices located on the physical network. Virtual networks become a necessary tool to facilitate and secure communications between virtual machines and within virtual servers. While hypervisors can offer basic layer2 switching functionality, they do nothing to provide the additional layer of security and traffic management (vFirewall, vRouter) that is required to properly manage and protect a virtual infrastructure.
What is Vyatta?
Vyatta has created the only networking solution that is optimized to deliver integrated routing and security functionality for physical and virtual environments. Vyatta offers users the unique ability to connect, protect and optimize virtual appliances and applications within popular virtualization platforms by offering a complete software-based network operating system that eliminates the hardware dependencies of proprietary networking gear.
Vyatta has been optimized to run in virtual environments to manage traffic and enforce policies in the same way that a physical router, firewall, VPN or intrusion prevention device does in a physical infrastructure. Utilizing tools like Xen, VMware and Hyper-V, Vyatta takes the concept of virtualization beyond just applications and operating systems and allows users who are migrating to virtual environments to also virtualize the network. Where popular hypervisors sometimes include a simple layer 2 vSwitch, Vyatta completes the network virtualization picture with vFirewall™ and vRouter™ functionality.
The Vyatta network operating system lends itself to a variety of virtualization and cloud deployment models. We have outlined some of the ways that Vyatta addresses the routing and security needs of virtual infrastructures in this paper.