Navigating Your Software-defined Networking Journey - Kyndryl

Software-defined networkingNavigating yoursoftware-definednetworking journeyDeploy SDN to help meet agility,efficiency and security business goals1

Table of contentsEvolution Software-defined networkingBusiness drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentifying an SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?

Software-defined networking3Evolution of software-defined networking (SDN)By now, most people are aware of whatsoftware-defined networking (SDN) is,and how this solution can help drive betterbusiness results. But many organizationsthat want to take advantage of thebenefits of SDN as a part of their digitaltransformation are unsure where to start.Some teams make the mistake ofselecting a solution at the beginning oftheir SDN journey. But most successfulSDN implementations consider businessdrivers first and choose a solution basedon those goals.A trusted SDN implementation businesspartner can help you focus on those driversto help find a solution and deploymentstrategy that meets your unique businessgoals. Known for revolutionizing the waynetworks are conceptualized, deployed andmanaged, SDN can meet your networkingneeds that are being poorly addressed byexisting networks.Evolution of SDNAs digital transformation efforts continue,enterprise applications are becomingmore complex, dynamic, distributed andresource-intensive. In addition to becomingcloud-native, modern applications arecontainerized for speed and agility whendeveloping new services. But deployingcontainers in a scalable, manageable andsecure way that provides an underlyingnetwork infrastructure is a challenge.With the continued evolution of SDNtechnology, it’s possible to provide seamlessconnectivity and security services for alltypes of end-points. From virtual machinesto containers and bare metal machines,you can use use a single network overlay,abstraction and unified policy framework,whether your technology resides in a datacenter, remote office, branch or in the cloud.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesOrganizations choose to pursue SDNfor a number of different reasons. Thesebusiness drivers typically fall into one offour main ybrid cloudintegrationIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?3

Software-defined networking4Business drivers for SDNAgilityMany organizations have alreadydedicated significant time and resourcesto creating agile compute and storageenvironments, but have failed to modernizetheir network environments in the sameway. This approach is a mistake because thenetwork forms the foundation of the entireIT infrastructure. Automating storage andcompute environments without the networkcreates an agility bottleneck and preventsIT infrastructure from performing at optimallevels. By adopting SDN, you can getthe agility they need to respond quicklyto change and capitalize on moderninnovation opportunities.EfficiencyTraditional network services are difficultand time consuming to manage, frequentlyrequiring error-prone manual processes thatcan prevent your organization from being asefficient as possible.Evolution of SDNTransitioning to SDN can help organizationsuse their resources as efficiently as possible,freeing up funding to invest in innovationand digital transformation opportunities.In addition, automating manual processesallows employees to spend more of theirtime on high-value work.SecurityThe risks of inadequate digital assetprotection are clear: falling victimto a breach or failing to comply withregulations such as the General DataProtection Regulation (GDPR) couldcost millions and permanently damageyour organization’s reputation.In many ways, an IT environment is onlyas secure as the network that underpins it.With SDN, there are various use cases thatcan help make your network more secure.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesHybrid cloud integrationWith hybrid cloud, organizations canbring together the best of both worlds:gaining the flexibility and scalability of cloudservices in some areas of the business, whilemaintaining the customization and control ofon-premises operations in others. Designedto simplify and streamline your overallenvironment, you can use a hybrid cloudapproach to apply common policies acrosscloud and on-premises environments.Adopting SDN can put you in a positionto make the most of hybrid cloud for ITas a service (ITaaS) offerings. Rather thanbuilding out the new services yourself,you can simply turn off and on newcloud services when they are needed.This flexibility can enable you to replacelarge up-front capital expenses withmanageable operating expenses.Identify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?4

Software-defined networking5SDN use casesThere are various uses casesorganizations can explore when theyconsider SDN. Again, the use cases anorganization selects should be based onthe unique needs of the business. Usecases the organization does not needcan be left out of their SDN roadmap.These are four critical use cases thatshould typically be included in aSDN roadmap:Software-definedenvironment(SDE) integration Network managementand provisioning Microsegmentationand zero-trust policiesNetwork servicechainingEvolution of SDNBusiness drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?5

Software-defined networking6SDN use casesWe no longer live in a world whereorganizations can look at different elementsof their IT infrastructure as distinct andseparate silos. To pursue ITaaS for hybridcloud interconnectivity is imperative, sinceyou’ll need a fully integrated SDE in orderto meet your goals. But many organizationswith this goal don’t have a modernizednetwork environment.In a traditional IT environment, resourcesare assigned manually. Not only does thismake it more difficult for the organizationto adapt to change, it also creates a timeconsuming task for employees whoseefforts would be better spent elsewhere.Evolution of SDNWith SDE integration, IT administratorscan manage the entire IT environmentfrom a centralized orchestrator. The useof a centralized orchestrator can delivergreater agility and efficiency, as thedistribution of resources throughoutthe IT environment can be automated.SDE helps the organization respondto changing priorities quickly.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?6

Software-defined networking7SDN use casesSDN can provide you with advancednetwork management capabilities, allowingfor greater programmability and visibilitythroughout the entire network. You canalso use SDN to efficiently deploy analyticsthat help identify potential network issuesbefore they negatively impact performance.Evolution of SDNSDN empowers you to quickly provisionnew business apps whenever theyare needed, helping support greateragility throughout the organization.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?7

Software-defined networking8SDN use casesSDN enables microsegmentation tosupport greater application by assigningunique, granular security policies to eachapplication. This approach helps ensurethat appropriate levels of security, areapplied across the entire network. Forexample you could implement zero-trustpolicies in which the network assumesthat all users and access requestsare not trustworthy until it establishesotherwise. This approach helps limit thedamage caused by data breaches, sincea vulnerability in one application will notspread throughout the network.Evolution of SDNWhile microsegmentation has clearsecurity benefits, it can also dramaticallyincrease the complexity and cost ofmanaging the network. But SDN enablesmicrosegmentation with virtually none ofthe potential drawbacks by maintaininga centralized topology view that canprovide visibility and managementcapabilities across the environment.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?8

Software-defined networking9SDN use casesNetwork service chaining is not a new idea,but SDN offers a different and better way tomake it happen. Traditionally, building a chainof network services has been a very timeconsuming and inefficient process. Buildinga chain of network services used to rely uponIT teams to manually cable network devicestogether in a certain sequence, and thenconfigure a dedicated hardware device tosupport the chain.In addition, the entire chain would have tobe reconfigured to increase capacity everytime there was an increase in applicationloads. Businesses experiencing fluctuatinglevels of demand throughout the year wouldhave to build enough capacity to handle themaximum level of demand, and therefore payfor capacity they do not need during the restof the year.Evolution of SDNWith SDN, you can use the controllerto configure and reconfigure servicechains quickly and easily, without themanual processes. Service chainingallows you to adjust capacity upand down as demand fluctuates, soyou’re not stuck paying for unneededcapacity. In addition, network functionvirtualization allows your organizationto run functions on more affordablecommodity hardware, rather thanrequiring a dedicated hardware device.Business drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?9

Software-defined networking10Identifying an SDN business partnerDue to numerous approaches towardsadoption of SDN, architectures, evolution ofstandards and its implementation, as well asa range of products from traditional vendorsand new entrants, today’s environments areextremely complex. In order to make sure yourSDN initiative ends up meeting your businessrequirements, it is important to work with atrusted partner.Identify the right product for you,based on the requirements ofyour organizationProvide unbiased advice and havegood working relationships withthe leading vendors in the spaceDemonstrate a trusted referencearchitecture and have experiencedeploying SDN products basedon business driversEvolution of SDNBusiness drivers for SDNSDN use cases Integrate networking,compute and storage in asingle integrated environmentto help your organization createa business case for ITaaSofferings and capitalize onthe potential of cloud servicesOffer you the opportunity toexperience the technologyfirst-hand before adoptionIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?10

Software-defined networking11Why Kyndryl?Kyndryl has deep expertise in designing,running and managing the most modern,efficient and reliable technology infrastructurethat the world depends on every day. We aredeeply committed to advancing the criticalinfrastructure that powers human progress.We’re building on our foundation of excellenceby creating systems in new ways: bringing inthe right partners, investing in our business,and working side-by-side with our customersto unlock potential.Evolution of SDNFor more informationTo learn more about Kyndrylsoftware-defined networking,contact your Kyndryl representativeor visit us at kyndryl.comVisit the websiteBusiness drivers for SDNSDN use casesIdentify SDN business partnerWhy Kyndryl?11