Cisco ACI Adds Docker, OpFlex, Layer 4-7 Support

Docker support. OpFlex support. A greater emphasis on layer 4-7 services. These are some of the enhancements Cisco deploys the new version of software for infrastructure Centric, or TIA applications.

Meta larger image Cisco is enhancing its portfolio Defined Network (SDN) software built on open APIs, open standards and flexible ecosystem. The move could appease some critics Cisco accused the company of being too exclusive in the past.

"Customers tell me that only five to 10 percent of their networks are automated today," said Soni Jiandani, senior vice president of Cisco. "They are willing to take the full automation of their networks and network services through a single pane of management, while improving security applications east-west traffic, multi-cloud and bare metal flow coherence.

Looking for complete automation

 Cisco aims to offer its new software features, including heterogeneous virtualized environments including Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware VDS and microsegmentation for physical applications. The promise to deliver new automation capabilities across multiple data centers in multi-site environments.

The containers Docker integration technology is the ACI contributions to open source. This means that Cisco can now offer a model of coherent policy more flexibly with the AIT. Support for the integration of automated service for any third layer of third party services 7.4 could also make the company running.

"The policy-based automation, network security, and a central support compliance are essential to IT efficiency, business agility and competitive advantage," said Jiandani. "Several customers ACI achieve complete automation of the network and focus on automation in their 4-7 network services, security groups and applications layers as the next step".

Defying critics

 CliQr, DataTorrent Vnomic and already part of the 43 members of CREA Cisco ecosystem. The company just added Apprenda, KillerIT, convergence and ScienceLogic mix. These four new players offer Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that help organizations automate all of their applications and infrastructure equipment.

Besides all this, Cisco now supports ACI automation tools as OpenStack and VMware cloud automation and support vRealize OpFlex with Open vSwitch based on open standards.

We talk to Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research, to get his thoughts on the improved AIT. He said that this update the relevance of extending infrastructure.

"Cisco has a wide SDN-based standards approach. In the past, Cisco has been criticized for being closed and proprietary," Kerravala said. "What Cisco SDN includes success is really based on allowing an ecosystem of partners to work with you. That's what we focus on and there are a large part of this release. My research shows Cisco's SDN many more deployments than any other provider that does not exist. "