Resource and Network Virtualization

An important aspect of the design of N1 Provisioning Server software is the virtualization provided for all the hardware devices within the resource pool of an I-Fabric. This virtualization enables the rapid and dynamic association of devices to network connectivity and provides the capability to create a logical server farm from a pool of physical devices within an I-Fabric. Virtualization of network connectivity provides the foundation for deploying drag-and-drop connectivity between devices that can then be logically wired together.

Figure 1–4 Control Plane Resource Virtualization

Virtualization of the network provides security, and enables the transparent management, configuration, and allocation of network devices. N1 Provisioning Server software utilizes VLANs and automates all aspects of VLAN configuration to enable network virtualization.

Network virtualization provides two distinct benefits:

• Customized virtual wiring is created for each logical server farm. N1 Provisioning Server Network virtualization enables you to create arbitrary network topologies, associate subnet addresses, and assign IP addresses to servers and network devices placed on the subnets. You can add and remove resources from the logical server farm while automatically configuring newly added and existing devices in the logical server farm as necessary.

• For provisionable devices, the N1 Provisioning Server software performs secure partitioning at the Layer 2 network layer by taking sets of network ports on a large-scale switched fabric and placing them on a protected Layer 2 virtual network. Each virtual network uses physical port-based virtual local area network (VLAN) technology built into current generation Layer 2 switches.

Figure 1–5 Control Plane Network Virtualization

Logical Server Farms

The control plane, switched fabric, and resource pool work together to dynamically create logical server farms within an I-Fabric. Logical server farms are securely allocated from the Resource Pool and managed by N1 Provisioning Server software. N1 Provisioning Server software creates server farms from the resources available within the Resource Pool. Logical server farms are built using the same physical resources as traditional server farms but they are established and managed under the flexible control of N1 Provisioning Server software. Logical server farms are analogous to traditional, manually built, dedicated server farms except that you can create, grow, shrink, and delete them as data structures that reside within N1 Provisioning Server software.

Logical server farms have the same performance and control characteristics as traditional server farms. N1 Provisioning Server software is not in the data path and does nothing to limit the performance of the devices or prevent the logical server farm from running at wire speed.

Secure partitions enforced by N1 Provisioning Server software and methodologies enable you to exercise independent administrative control over each logical server farm. Even though the user of a specific logical server farm has full administrative access on all devices within that farm, the user cannot view, access, or modify the devices or data associated with a different logical server farm.

The following graphic illustrates the life cycle of a logical server farm in the Control Center.

Figure 1–6 Logical Server Farm States

• D – Design State

• A – Active State

• S – Standby State

• I – Inactive State

For more details on how to manage logical server farms, see Chapter 4, Building, Updating, and Monitoring Server Farms in N1 Provisioning Server 3.1, Blades Edition, Control Center Management Guide.